


My L’Manburg

by SweetAndSourBerry



Series: Leverage DSMP AU [4]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Dream is still super toxic you guys, Extremely Dubious Consent, M/M, Manipulative Relationship, Physical Abuse, Politics, Sexual Abuse, Switches between Dream and Techno’s POV, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:01:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 24,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29671122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetAndSourBerry/pseuds/SweetAndSourBerry
Summary: It’s been six months since Philza helped Technoblade escape from Pandora’s Vault. Six months of peace on the snowy tundra. But things aren’t always what they appear. And that escape has consequences that will come back to haunt them.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Leverage DSMP AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2159235
Comments: 435
Kudos: 335





	1. Technoblade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is a sequel to Leverage. You should probably read that fic before this one. I don’t plan on this fic being as graphic or whumpy as Leverage. But just like Leverage, I’ll post trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter.

A blast of cold air wrapped itself around the cabin on the tundra. The few snowflakes it brought with it warned of the coming storm. Technoblade cursed silently under his breath and hammered faster.

Why did Phil have to make the roof out of wood? _Wood,_ of all things? The material that warped and rotted when it got wet? Such as, for example, in a biome that routinely dumped snow on even partially horizontal surfaces to melt slowly and soak into that surface?

The process of replacing the spruce roof with cobblestone had taken significantly longer than expected. Mostly because it was impossible to accomplish anything when the weather was actively snowing. Which it did every other day or so. Meanwhile, the longer it took, the more warped the old roof became, and the more urgent the replacement became.

All three of the cabin’s residents — Phil, Ranboo, and Techno — worked on the project every second they could. But that had caused other chores to become neglected. When the three realized a storm was coming, Phil suddenly remembered that they were almost out of firewood. Phil and Ranboo had gone to collect as much as they could before the storm hit, while Techno remained on the roof.

Something, some feeling or premonition, caused him to pause. His senses strained, trying to catch any sound or scent. But there was nothing. He brought the hammer down twice more before whipping around ... to find nothing. Nothing was there.

And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling of a presence. Someone there, watching him.

He resumed his work on the roof. It wasn’t going to repair itself.

* * *

It wasn’t the first time he had sensed a presence that couldn’t be explained. Usually when he was alone, but not always.

When he had asked them, neither Phil nor Ranboo had known what he was talking about. Techno hadn’t pressed, worried that they would think him going mad.

He would think himself haunted, except he had met ghosts before. And Ghostbur wasn’t nearly this ... cryptic.

So he ignored it. Finished as much of the roof as he could, then climbed down and hurried into the house. Stomped the snow off his boots and closed the door behind him. Turned to the fireplace to start water boiling for-

“Hello, Technoblade.”

His sword was in his hand before he had made a conscious decision to call it out of his inventory. He cursed his lack of armor before turning to the source of the voice.

“Dream,” Techno grumbled.

And Dream laughed. “It’s been awhile,” he said, light and airy, like he was talking to an old friend. The full netherite armor he wore probably made him feel invincible. “What, six months?”

“Not long enough, if I’m bein’ honest,” he replied.

Dream laughed again. “For you, maybe,” he conceded. “For me, it’s been rather busy.”

At this point, one thing mattered above all else. “How did you find us?” Techno demanded.

“Oh, finding you was the easy part,” Dream purred smugly. “It was the rest that took some time.”

“What the hell does-” Techno growled out, but was interrupted by the sound of boots on the porch.

“Techno, mate?” Phil called out, coming through the door. “Did you- _what the fuck?!”_

Phil rushed through the door, axe out and wings spread in a full threat display. Behind him, alarmed by his reaction, Ranboo peeked around the wings, axe in hand, and cursed under his breath.

Neither had any armor. Why would they? They, like Techno, had needed the inventory space for materials. And the tundra was safe from everything but the occasional overprotective mother polar bear.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve,” Phil bit out, advancing towards Dream anyway. Techno raised his own sword. He’d prefer better odds against an armored opponent of Dream’s caliber, but decided to hell with it and fell into step beside Phil. Both men rushed Dream-

-who promptly vanished as if he’d never existed.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Dream said, voice echoing through the room. “At least, not until you’ve heard what I have to say.”

“And what’s that, then?” Phil demanded. He and Techno had automatically gone back to back, Ranboo between them, desperately trying to find their opponent.

Who appeared on the other side of the room. “Actually,” Dream said, “I’ve come to ask for your help.”

* * *

“What do you want?” Phil demanded. He poured four cups of the tea blend with dried sweetberries that was the only one Techno liked.

Techno sniffed his cup automatically before adding sugar. He was trying to puzzle out how Dream had managed to disappear like that. There had been no potions, no shimmering effect, no floating armor.

Dream ignored Phil. “I’m surprised you still drink tea,” he said to Techno instead.

“I believe the man asked you a question?” Techno drawled back instead of rising to the bait.

Dream sighed dramatically. “Very well,” he said, lifting his mask just enough to take a sip out of his own cup. “L’Manburg has to go.”

“What?” Ranboo said, shocked. Neither Techno or Phil said anything, but agreed with the sentiment.

“Tubbo is barely in power,” Dream explained, “and the people hate him. His cabinet — Quackity and Fundy — is the true power behind the office. All three are so corrupt that it’s a wonder they haven’t been any assassination attempts. There’s constant rioting, constant protests. The unrest is bleeding into the neighboring countries.” He took another sip. “And it’s mostly Philza’s fault.”

“How’s that?” Phil snapped out.

“Were you or were you not responsible for the unrest around Technoblade’s incarceration and the riots the day he escaped?” Dream asked almost sweetly, and Phil gulped loudly. “Exactly.”

“What do you want us to do about it?” Ranboo asked.

“Simple,” Dream said. “I want you to get your fan club to force the government to step down. Then I’ll crown Technoblade king of L’Manburg.”

Techno started laughing at the absurdity of Dream’s delusional plan. “Naaaaaah,” he said, sitting back in his chair. And began to scheme. Dream may have armor while they didn’t, but they had home field advantage. Techno was already thinking about what supplies, what armor, what pots, he had in what chests.

Dream grinned wickedly. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he almost purred. He snapped his fingers ...

... and Ranboo was gone.

Another snap, and Phil vanished like he’d never been there.

Techno spun around, looked at Dream. Watched the smile stretch across his face. Watched him raise his hand and snap again.

Watched the cabin around him disappear.

* * *

Technoblade knew exactly where he was the moment he opened his eyes. How could he not know? There was the bench along one wall. There was the pool of water in the corner. There was the cauldron and lectern.

He was back in the maximum security cell in Pandora’s Vault.

A hand touched his shoulder. “Breathe,” Phil told him. Which was how he realized that he was hyperventilating. “It’s okay, we broke out of this place once, we’ll do it again.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Dream said, appearing in the corner. “Perhaps you haven’t noticed the additions?”

And there _were_ additions. Most notably, the cell had four walls instead of just the three. The fourth wall had a _spruce door_ of all things.

On second thought, that wasn’t the most notable change. The most notable change was-

“Is this ... _bedrock?”_ Ranboo asked, aghast. Dream hummed in confirmation. Techno just stared. All four walls, the floor, and the ceiling, were all made of bedrock.

He was shaking, he realized. Phil slotted his hand into Techno’s, and Techno’s squeezed it. Tried to regulate his breathing. Tried to calm himself before he devolved into a full panic attack.

His eyes went to the spruce door.

“It’s real,” Dream assured them. “Look.” He walked over to the door. It swung open without protest, the familiar curtain of lava falling on the other side. Dream walked out of the door, disappeared around the corner, then came back around and walked back into the cell. “See?”

Hesitantly, expecting to be jumped at any second, Techno approached the door. Dream just stared, the mask’s eyes boring holes into him, but made no move to stop him. Techno hesitated at the doorway, suspicious, before stepping through.

Nothing happened, except that he found himself on a walkway of sorts. The lava fell in front of him, but the walkway was encased in glass.

The walkway formed a “T” shape, with the cell at one end of the branch. The stem of the “T” was a hallway that disappeared into the lava. A way out. He took off running.

He didn’t even get two steps before he was teleported back into the center of the cell.

“Command block,” Dream announced smugly. “It knows the coordinates of the cell. Go too far from those coordinates along any axis ...” He gestured to the spot where Techno had been teleported.

“How are you doing all this?” Phil demanded, voice just as wary and confused as Techno felt.

“Simple,” Dream answered. “I told you I had been busy.” He tilted his head. “What do you know about the admin of this server?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan to update every other day, but no promises. <3
> 
> OH BOY has drawn fanart for this fic! It’s a meme that was technically done for Chapter 5, but as it kinda applies to the whole fic, I’m showing it here, lol. Just copy and paste the url into your browser.
> 
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/759628360367603732/816637980529393684/goodheavenslookatthetime.jpg


	2. Technoblade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I said every other day. I lied.

“The ... admin of the server?” Ranboo asked. Phil made eye contact with Techno, and the piglin hybrid could see his own unease mirrored in his friend’s expression.

“Mmmh,” Dream responded. “Actually, hang on a sec.” And he disappeared. The three friends looked at each other, unsure of what to do next, when suddenly the prison vanished from around them.

“That’s better,” Dream said when they materialized again. Techno recognized their cabin. He sat back down at the table, trying to hide the way his legs shook. The tea was still warm; he chugged it in one gulp and poured himself another cup.

“Yes, the admin of the server.” Dream took a sip of his own tea. Something swished through the air behind the man. Technoblade looked out of the corner of his eye as discreetly as possible.

It was a tail.

Wait. Since when had Dream had a tail?

“I am the admin of this server,” Dream said; and Techno had seen it coming but felt his heart sink anyway. “Or, rather, I was.” He took another sip. “I know everyone assumes that I’m human, but I’m not. I’m a demon. Full-blooded, too; none of this weak ‘hybrid’ nonsense.”

“What happened?” Ranboo asked, while Techno and Phil shared another look. This was literally one of the worst things that could possibly happen. If Dream was an admin, it was game over. He was a god on the server. He could not be killed. He could not be trapped. He could not be defeated.

“I ruled the server more-or-less benevolently,” Dream began, and there was no way that that was true. “But I kept my admin status a secret. I didn’t want anyone getting jealous.” Didn’t want anyone bugging him for favors, more likely. “But some members found out. They performed an exorcism.”

Another sip. “Demons aren’t ... physical beings. Not really. What you see is a shell. A piece of clothing. I can leave it at will and enter another if I so please.” Another sip. “The exorcism shouldn’t have worked. They got lucky. I won’t tell you how or why. Just know that it drove me from my body and created two versions of myself — a physical, human self and a non-physical, ghostly self. The human-me became just another person, with three lives and an inventory and everything. The ghost-me kept all the admin powers.”

“And now?” Techno asked, almost afraid of the answer.

“Now?” Dream said, and Techno could tell he was smirking behind that mask of his. “I’m back together again. I’m whole.”

* * *

So Dream was a demon, and Dream was an admin. That would explain the tail. And the tiny horns, now that Techno was looking for them.

“So to review,” Dream said, draining the last of his cup and pushing it away. Ranboo, bless the kid, offered to refill it and Dream waved a refusal. “We’re all four going to march into L’Manburg. We are going to demand that the president and his cabinet resign. I am then going to claim L’Manburg as another part of the SMP Empire, and place Technoblade on the throne as its king. He is welcome to rule it as he sees fit, as long as he’s not making a complete mess of things and he pays me a monthly tribute. The citizens of L’Manburg are happy, I’m happy, you three ... well, you can learn to be happy. Phil and Ranboo, it used to be your home before you were kicked out by the idiots that rule it now. It can be again.”

Silence for a moment. Then Phil sighed. “What happens if we refuse?”

Dream shrugged. “I do all those things, only alone, and dissolve L’Manburg entirely. You three hear about it if anyone gets around to visiting you in prison. And with six maximum security cells now, there’s plenty of space for you to have your own cell.”

Exactly as he had feared. It wasn’t fun to hear, but Techno was used to shitty ultimatums from the masked teletubby. One thing had been bugging him since he saw the changes, however. “What does Sam think of the remodel?”

Dream’s mask turned to stare at him for a moment. “What did Sam think about me offering to make the almost inescapable prison he’s so proud of actually inescapable?” he asked dryly. “He’s ecstatic. I’m pretty sure he cried when he saw the finished results.”

And that tracked. Sam was always more concerned with results than with the methods taken to get those results.

“For what it’s worth, he’s also excited about the possibility of new guests. He especially can’t wait to see you again, Technoblade. Or to meet the guy who blew a hole in his roof, Phil.”

Phil looked annoyed at the reminder, but Techno just felt numb. He had been so happy here with Phil and Ranboo. He had been enjoying spending time with the Morkh Clan of piglins in the Nether. He had been healing, finding his way after a month and a half in Pandora’s Vault.

What would destroy him more, going back to his cell or becoming the very thing he hated?

Dream was still watching him, he realized. “Don’t decide now,” the demon said, like he was doing them a favor. “Take the night to sleep on it. Give me your answer in the morning.”

* * *

For the first time since Phil carried him to this cabin six months ago, Techno locked his bedroom door. Their guest had indicated that he’d sleep on the couch, but Techno didn’t trust it. He changed into his pajamas, blew out his lantern, and climbed into bed.

A familiar scent a few minutes later was his only warning before he felt the blankets raise behind him. A warm weight settled onto the mattress at his back.

“Dream,” Techno grumbled grumpily, rolling over to face the man. Then stopped, shocked.

Dream had taken his mask off.

“Yes?” Dream responded. He grinned at the piglin hybrid, a shit-eating smirk that transformed his whole face.

He was surprisingly average looking. Techno would have expected a huge scar or deformity, or some other physical defect that justified the mask. Instead, he looked completely normal.

The smirk got wider. “I love when you get confused and flustered,” Dream said. Then reached forward suddenly to kiss the tip of Techno’s nose.

And Techno was done. He had had a lot thrown at him today, and was just ready for the day to end. “You’re a _hringkhul,”_ he muttered, rolling over so his back was to the demon.

Dream laughed. “A what?” he asked.

That had probably been stupid, but Techno didn’t care. “A _hringkhul,”_ he reluctantly explained, “is a male that abandons his clan to go pleasure himself with zombified piglins.”

And of course Dream laughed again. “Are you calling me a zombie fucker?” he asked.

“A more general translation may be ‘motherfucker’,” Techno responded.

“Why is that even a thing in your language?”

Techno sighed. “Why is you in my bed even a thing?” he shot back.

“Mmmh,” Dream hummed. “I’m scared of the dark.” But Techno could hear the smirk in his voice.

And there was absolutely no way that Techno could think of to make him leave. He played with the idea of waiting for the other man to fall asleep and then just sneaking away, but the admin could literally teleport to him anywhere on the server.

Instead, he settled down. Felt Dream drape an arm over his side. And wondered how the hell he was going to get any sleep like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY has gifted us more fanart! It’s the four “negotiating”. I absolutely love Dream’s shit-eating grin. And Techno’s little earring. Go check it out:
> 
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/759628360367603732/815145632690864138/fanart3.jpg


	3. Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter contains veiled threats of non-consensual sex. Stay safe. <3

Six months of scheming was finally paying off.

Dream lay in Technoblade’s bed, body wrapped around the piglin. Techno had finally fallen asleep and was snoring lightly. Dream smiled down at him fondly.

He had done it. He had tracked down his missing half and made himself whole again. He had reclaimed his admin status and used it to propel himself back to the top.

Tommy had been easy. The teen was in one of the new maximum security cells, cooling his heels. It had been simple to threaten L’Manburg again. Obsidian walls were old hat. He had started to build walls made of _bedrock_ and watched them squirm. Reminded them that Tubbo had been at Tommy’s side while they went griefing. The rulers of L’Manburg had had no choice but to re-exile the teen. To release him into Dream’s custody.

Tommy was angry, of course, but that was to be expected. Honestly the teen’s biggest problem now was boredom. If this deal fell through he might throw Ranboo in the cell with Tommy. The two seemed to get along, and he had nothing against the enderman hybrid.

He gently ghosted his hand over Techno’s hair, careful not to wake the piglin. Neither Technoblade or Philza would get roommates. Especially if things went that far. He would want no witnesses as he tore their spirits to shreds. Burned them to nothing and scattered the ashes to the wind.

A crown looked good on the piglin, though. He hoped that Techno got to keep it.

* * *

One of the best things about being an admin was not having any physical needs. He could eat and drink and sleep, but he didn’t need to. Food was something he indulged himself in occasionally, but sleep? He almost never slept. Waste of time. It was amazing what a person could do when they had eight more hours in the day.

That night he let himself drift off wrapped around Techno’s warm body. Let himself experience the pleasure of waking up beside the piglin.

Techno was dreaming. Nose, ears, fingers, all twitching rhythmically. It was cute. Dream leaned forward to kiss a spasming ear tip.

And found himself on his ass on the floor with a suddenness that would have been painful without his admin abilities. Also painful would have been the netherite blade that found itself pressed against his throat.

He grinned, amused. “Good morning, Technoblade,” he greeted the piglin warmly.

For a second, he thought Techno might actually do it. Might actually try and slit his throat. Something like _resolve_ flitted through those crimson eyes, and Dream grinned at it. Imagined the netherite blade trying to penetrate his impenetrable skin. The blade would break first.

Techno seemed to come to the same conclusion, because the sword disappeared back into his inventory. “I was hoping you were gonna crawl back under a rock last night,” he muttered, voice adorably slurred from sleep. “Aren’t undead psychopaths supposed t’ burn in the sun or s’mthing?”

“Wait, I thought I fucked zombies. Now I’m one myself?” Dream laughed and stood up.

“Mmmh,” Techno hummed in response. “It’s too early to keep track of metaphors. At least without coffee.”

“You three have a big decision to make, anyway,” Dream reminded him, and watched his eyes tighten, just a little. “I’m sure you’ll need to talk in private. That’s fine.” He put on his mask, then slipped his feet into his boots. “I’ll just be exploring the woods around this cabin. Message me when you have a decision.”

Techno actually frowned at that. “And what assurance do we have that you won’t be listenin’ in all invisible?” he grumbled.

Dream forced his grin wider, trying to hide his fury at the question. Was the piglin calling him a liar? “None,” he answered simply.

And teleported a hundred blocks in a random direction.

* * *

It took two hours. Which was significantly longer than he was expecting. Dream had found a cave that a group of zombies were hiding in and was watching the them meandering around out of the sun when Phil messaged him that they were finished.

He went invisible first. Felt his feet sink through the rock, and was amused by the zombies’ startled glances at where he had been. Then he teleported himself to Philza.

The three were looking somber while they waited. “Are you sure?” Ranboo asked the two adults.

“Very sure,” Technoblade said, voice resigned. Dream felt himself grinning again.

He had won.

“Hello again,” Dream said, making himself solid again and watched the trio jump. “I hear you’ve come to an agreement?”

“We have,” Phil acknowledged almost sadly.

“Mmmh, good. And what have you decided?”

Phil and Ranboo looked at Techno, who hesitated. A feeling that was almost unease settled in Dream’s stomach. Something wasn’t right.

“We’ve decided _not_ to take you up on your offer,” Technoblade said, voice suddenly steely. “Government is a plague, and I for one would rather be imprisoned than participate in one.”

* * *

Rage. Instant rage flooded his body, but he got ahold of it immediately. It would do no good to lose control.

The three watched him, waiting for his reaction. But Phil and Ranboo kept looking between him and Techno, and ... ah. It had been the piglin’s decision.

“Very well,” Dream said almost lightly. All three others looked almost surprised by how well he was taking their rejection.

They had no idea.

Dream teleported Techno and himself to the center cell in the maximum security area of Pandora’s Vault. “I suppose this will be your home, then,” he told the piglin. “Take off your clothes. All the way to your skin.”

Techno sneered at him, eyes flashing crimson. “Naaaah,” he drawled. “I’m not playing your sick games this time, Dream.”

Dream expected this. Six months of freedom had given the piglin bad habits, made him sure of himself. Made him forget how the prison worked. Dream slapped him, hard enough that he stumbled a bit before regaining his footing. But Dream was right there, grabbing a fistful of hair, yanking his head back. “Yes, you are,” he said, voice casual in contrast to Techno’s rigidity. “Because you’re forgetting one thing: out there? You have rights. We would have been business partners of a sort. But in here?” He grinned. “In here you’re barely a person. Just a piece of meat for me to consume at my leisure. A porkchop.” He popped the last “P” and watched Techno try not to flinch. “Same with Philza. Same with Ranboo.”

Dream released him and stepped back. Techno glared at him with an expression that would have worried him if he was still mortal. Then slowly, hesitantly, the piglin reached up to unhook his cloak.

The cloak was folded and put on the bench. The crown went on top. The sash joined it. One by one, items of clothing were folded and laid neatly on the bench, until there were none left.

Techno had gained back the weight he had lost. Dream was pleased to see the thick muscles on his arms and legs, the strong core with just a bit of a pooch around the stomach. His clavicle wasn’t nearly as pronounced, and ... oh. “I almost forgot,” Dream said, pulling something golden out of his inventory. The new collar wasn’t lined, but the metal was smooth enough that it didn’t matter. It fit neatly around his neck and bolted together in the back.

Technoblade was shaking. And not just a little. The piglin was quivering like someone had dumped a bucket of ice over his head. The sight was oddly endearing. “Here,” Dream said, shoving a bundle of clothing into his arms. It contained a purple shirt and pair of pants like the ones he had worn before. The piglin dressed quickly, almost like he was afraid Dream may change his mind.

“I have another golden collar for Phil, but I’m not sure about Ranboo,” Dream said conversationally. “Do you think gold or iron would look better on him?”

And it was enough to break the piglin. “I’ll do it,” Techno mumbled through chattering teeth.

Behind his mask, Dream just grinned.


	4. Interlude: Phil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the fluff!

“We’ve decided _not_ to take you up on your offer,” Technoblade stated, voice resolute.

And you could hear a pin drop in the silence. For just a few seconds, nobody seemed to even want to breathe.

“Very well,” Dream said finally. His voice was cool, but the rage radiating off of him was almost palatable. He disappeared suddenly, and Phil had a wild moment where he thought they might get left alone. This might actually work. Maybe Dream had been bluffing.

Then he noticed that Techno was gone as well, and his heart sank.

“What now?” Ranboo muttered from where he was standing.

Phil took a second to get his emotions back under control. “Now we wait,” he said. And half expected either of them to disappear at any moment. “Let’s bank the fire, just in case.”

They had barely even begun when Techno and Dream reappeared. Phil wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, until he saw his friend. Deathly pale, shaking violently, and wearing completely different clothes than he left in. They weren’t gone ten minutes! What the fuck had happened?!

Techno seemed to calm when he saw his surroundings, but Phil had caught sight of the collar and had realized that the clothes Techno now wore were the prison uniform from Pandora’s Vault, and had never wanted to strangle someone with his bare hands as badly as he did Dream at that moment.

Dream caught his eye. His tail swished, like a cat pleased with itself after catching its prey, and Phil knew for a fact that the fucker was smiling behind that mask. The demon then reached over to casually drape an arm over Techno’s shoulder and whisper something in his ear.

Techno didn’t respond to whatever Dream had said. But Phil had known his friend long enough to see the slightest tightening around his eyes, the slightest pursing of his mouth.

Dream stood back up straight. “Technoblade has had a change of heart,” he announced grandly. Techno’s cheek twitched. “I’ll come by to pick you three up in the morning. You’ll have almost a full day to do whatever you need.” He waves vaguely in Phil and Ranboo’s direction and then disappeared.

Techno immediately headed for his wing. Phil would have assumed his friend wanted privacy to sort through whatever emotions his time with Dream had dredged up, except he recognized that twist of his mouth.

“Stay here,” he told Ranboo. And Phil was racing after his friend.

He got there in time to hear Techno retching. Silently, he gathered up the hybrid’s pink hair, and held it out of his way while he emptied the contents of his stomach into a washbasin. His unoccupied hand stroked the piglin’s back, trying to offer some comfort after what had obviously been a traumatic experience.

Finally, he was done. Phil guided him back to his bedroom and maneuvered him to lay on his bed, then lay down beside him. Techno immediately rolled over and threw himself into Phil’s arms, so Phil wrapped his arms around his friend and just held him.

He waited for Techno to stop shaking, then reached up to scratch his scalp. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked gently.

“It just was ... _overwhelmin’._ Being there again.” That wasn’t all, he could tell; but Techno would tell him if and when he felt comfortable.

“Wanna get that collar off?” he offered instead.

To his surprise, Techno sighed. “Yes, but I was informed in no uncertain terms that removing this collar would be unwise.”

And Phil had to fight the fury again. Had to swallow the bitter disgust, the desire to hunt the green bastard down and put his fist through that stupid mask. “Is it uncomfortable?” he asked instead.

Techno shifted in his arms, getting comfortable. “I’ll live,” he said dryly, and Phil got the hint.

He shut up and relaxed, and felt Techno fall asleep beside him.

* * *

A short time later, Phil remembered Ranboo. He messaged the teen, who came into the room. Techno stirred slightly as Ranboo laid on his other side but settled immediately and went back to sleep.

Ranboo looked at Phil with a question on his face. He had seen the writing on the back of Techno’s clothes and was visibly concerned.

 _Dream said he changed his mind?_ he messaged Phil privately.

Phil nodded back. Seeing his friend’s condition, he hadn’t been surprised.

 _Do you know what Dream did to him?_ Ranboo asked him.

And it was a somewhat intrusive question, but Phil knew that the teen didn’t mean it that way. It came from genuine concern, not morbid curiosity. _I have some ideas, but would prefer not to speculate,_ he messaged gently.

Ranboo nodded in agreement, and for a moment Phil imagined him in the prison. Imagined the teen in the purple prison uniform and with his own collar. Imagined him wasting away in a little bedrock box.

It wouldn’t be easy for Techno to put aside his beliefs and values, Phil knew, but for a second he was greatly relieved that he had.

It wasn’t long before Ranboo’s breathing evened out, and Phil realized that the hybrid had fallen asleep himself. Phil chuckled to himself, gave himself a moment to feel overwhelming affection for his two ‘sons’, and allowed himself to drift off.


	5. Technoblade

Technoblade awoke some time later to find himself sandwiched between two bodies. Phil was in front of him, and behind him ... ah, Ranboo. Techno would never get used to the teen not having eyelids. He was snoring, though, so definitely asleep.

For just a second Techno was confused as to why everyone had piled into his bed, then the day before came back in a rush. Panic, anger, and humiliation rolled over him. And anxiety. What was he going to do now?! He couldn’t-

Phil stirred in his sleep, and Techno forced himself to calm down. It was embarrassing enough, having shown so much weakness in front of the man yesterday. The least he could do was not disturb his rest.

Phil rolled over onto his back, and Ranboo responded to the movement by pulling closer to Techno. He buried his face in Techno’s hair and wrapped a leg around his shins. Then resumed snoring, right into Techno’s ear.

“Damn kid,” Techno muttered to himself, almost inaudibly. But he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. The teen was warm, and sleeping in a group was oddly nostalgic. It made him think of when he was a kid himself.

Ranboo had been a good addition to their little group. Techno had to admit, he was fond of the kid. Then he thought of a collar around his neck. As hard as it had been, and as hard as it would be, he had made the right decision.

Fuck Dream, anyway.

With a satisfied snort to himself, he settled in and fell back asleep.

* * *

“This looks cozy,” a voice woke them later.

Speak of the devil ...

“Dream, go fuck a zombie,” Techno slurred out sleepily, then lay his head back down. Behind him, Ranboo giggled nervously.

Dream actually scoffed. “Okay, Porkchop,” he said, and Techno was careful not to react. “Just remember that all I have to do is flick a lever beside your command block.”

And that was a fair point. With a sigh, Technoblade started getting up. Which was actually quite the task. Phil had to get up first, then Techno, then Ranboo.

Dream smirked at Techno, and Techno remembered that he was still wearing the prison uniform. “They’re comfy,” he drawled, truthfully. His normal dress shirt and trousers might look good, but for comfort nothing beat a t-shirt and sweatpants.

Dream just rolled his eyes and threw a bundle of cloth at him. It was the clothes he had left the day before. “We’re trying to look kingly, remember,” he insisted. “I wasn’t expecting this to be a problem for the guy who’s everyday attire includes a cloak and a crown.”

Techno snorted. “If you want me wearin’ kingly attire, maybe you shouldn’t be in such a hurry to force me out of it,” he pointed out, and was very careful not to show his amusement at Dream’s anger.

Anger which turned gleefully vindictive, and ... shit. “Change. Now,” Dream ordered. And although Techno had a pretty good idea what Dream intended, he scooped the bundle of clothes up and headed for the washroom. His hunch proved correct when Dream stopped him. “I said _now,_ Technoblade.”

Techno sighed. Dream was so petty when angered. “Ranboo, get out of here.” The teen didn’t need to witness this.

“Ranboo stays,” Dream bit out. “Ranboo needs to see this.”

 _“Ranboo_ is a _minor,”_ Techno bit back.

The mask stared at him for a few seconds, but Techno wasn’t backing down from this. Dream didn’t get to involve children in his little temper tantrums. “Fine,” the man finally replied. And Ranboo, pale and a little shaken by all the tension, fled the room.

The moment the teen was out of sight, Techno did as requested. The tee came off, followed by the pants. Techno reached for the bundle of clothes, but was stopped by Dream. The demon hooked his fingers through Techno’s collar and pulled the nude man towards him until his mask was all but pressed against his cheek. “Be glad that a broken nose doesn’t look very regal,” Dream spat at him.

“Dream, enough,” Phil spoke up from the corner. “We get the point.”

Dream held him there a few seconds extra before letting him go abruptly enough that Techno stumbled a step. Then waited until Techno had turned back to the clothes on the bed to smack his left buttocks, hard enough that Techno grunted in surprised pain.

Phil looked ready to murder the masked man, admin or not. _Don’t,_ Techno messaged him privately while he dressed. _He’s just saving face. It means he’s mad he took an L._

 _If you say so,_ Phil replied. But never stopped glaring at the demon.

* * *

As soon as all three residents of the cabin indicated they were ready to go, Dream teleported them away. Techno realized they were standing in front of the community house. Dream took off in the direction of L’Manburg; with nothing else to do, the three followed him.

They were met at the border by a group of people. Mostly citizens of L’Manburg, the group was loitering around, sensing that something was up and wanting to be there to witness it. In front of the group stood the entire government — Fundy and Quackity, with Tubbo standing between them. “Hey, Dream,” Tubbo greeted the demon nervously, and Techno had forgotten how abysmal the teen’s poker face was. “Oh. H-hey, Phil and T-Technoblade. What’s up?”

Dream must have made some sort of arrangements with Phil, because the avian hybrid stepped forward. “Tubbo,” he said neutrally. “It’s done, mate. We’re here to shut you down.”

Surprisingly, Tubbo seemed almost relieved by this announcement. Fundy and Quackity, however, were less enthusiastic. “What the hell, grandpa?” Fundy demanded.

Techno heard his name. He turned to see the citizens standing behind their leaders, muttering. They were looking at him, looking at Phil, and ... smiling? One woman caught his eye and waved shyly.

The demon was talking. Reluctantly, Techno turned back to the action. “... annex L’Manburg for the Greater SMP area,” Dream was saying.

The L’Manburgians broke out into startled mutters, cheering, and a few scattered boos. “You can’t do that!” Quackity demanded.

“I can, and I believe I just did,” Dream laughed. “Technoblade took two of your lives. It would be very poetic if he took your last as well.”

And that wasn’t part of the deal. Taking a person's last life was a serious- “First you take Tommy, then you do this?” Fundy snarled in a voice that was almost whiny.

Wait. Where _was_ Tommy? Techno would have expected him to be by Tubbo’s side. _Dream?_ he messaged the demon privately.

 _Not now, Technoblade,_ Dream responded immediately. Like he was expecting Techno’s message. Like there was something about Tommy he was hiding.

Techno shifted uneasily. He didn’t like how things were going. “Dream,” he said out loud.

Dream ignored him. “Alright, how about this?” he said. “You three resign, _immediately,_ or I turn L’Manburg into a chunk error. I’m talking straight to bedrock.”

And that _definitely_ wasn’t part of the deal. “Dream,” he said again.

“You have 24 hours,” Dream announced. And teleported them all away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY drew a meme fanart for this chapter! It kinda applies to the whole fic, so I posted it on the first chapter, but it’s for this chapter specifically so I’m also putting it here. Just copy and paste the url into your browser.
> 
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/759628360367603732/816637980529393684/goodheavenslookatthetime.jpg


	6. Technoblade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some vague talk of trading sex for favors. <3

They found themselves back in the main room of the northern cabin. Techno barely had time to register his surroundings before Dream’s mask took up his entire line of sight. “What the fuck was that, Technoblade?!” the demon demanded loudly.

Techno ignored the question. “Where’s Tommy?” he asked instead, voice as neutral as possible.

“He’s safe, don’t worry,” Dream snarled. “Now, I-”

“Nah, nah nah nah nah,” Techno said. “I didn’t ask _how_ he is, I asked _where_ he is.”

Dream’s mask stared at him. His fury was almost palatable. “I’ve put him in the Vault,” he finally said. “But-”

“Minimum security or maximum security?” he interrupted Dream to ask. Dream was furious, and honestly it was a bit surprising Techno had gotten as far as he had.

“Maximum security, of course,” Dream bit out.

Damn it. Of course this _bastard_ threw TommyInnit, a child, into a maximum security cell. Of course he did. “I want to visit him,” Techno said.

“Have you forgotten that we have plans for tomorrow?” Dream growled.

“You’re admin, remember? You can teleport us there and back. We’ll be gone a few hours, tops.”

Dream stared at him, calculating. “Why should I?” he asked finally.

And it had come to this. “Ranboo, why don’t you take a walk?” Techno said.

Ranboo actually hesitated. “Are you sure?” he asked, voice small.

And bless the child for thinking that his presence would stop Dream from doing anything the demon wanted, or even cause him to hesitate. “I’m sure,” he said.

Ranboo didn’t ask twice. He went into his wing and closed the door behind him. They could hear a jukebox start playing Cat.

And Techno did not like the way Dream watched that closed door almost thoughtfully. “What do you want?” Techno asked him.

Dream’s mask almost jerked back to look at Techno. “You know what I want,” he said.

“What does he want?” Phil asked, voice resigned to not liking the answer.

Dream sighed. “I want you,” he said directly to Techno. “For the full night.”

“Bruh,” Phil said, obviously disturbed, but Techno was thinking. Thinking about Dream forcing his way into Techno’s bed two nights ago. Thinking about Dream finding them asleep in Techno’s bed this morning. Thinking about how he had been surly afterwards. Techno had thought it was anger, but that wasn’t it, was it?

 _He’s lonely,_ Techno messages privately to Phil.

A pause while Phil processed. Then ... _That’s a him problem, mate._

_Not if we can use it._

_You do realize this is Dream we’re talking about, right?_ Techno wasn’t sure how Phil could manage to sound sarcastic over a message, but the man managed it well. _He’s gonna fuck you._

 _Probably,_ Techno agreed. But there was something else going on here. Something-

“Well?” Dream interrupted his train of thought.

“So if I sleep in the same bed as you tonight, I can go visit Tommy?” Techno asked, wanting to make sure. Also carefully wording the question so it didn’t sound like a euphemism for sex.

Dream paused, obviously considering Techno’s statement carefully. “Sure,” he finally said.

“Techno,” Phil tried to interject, but it was too late. Because Technoblade knew two things.

One, that Dream was going to do whatever he wanted to do, regardless. That there was a very real chance that Dream would have crawled into his bed either way, and there wasn’t a damn thing Techno could do to stop him. That the best they could do was get something out of it themselves.

And two, that Tommy was a child. And even though he had betrayed Techno, even though he had scorned his help, there was a part of him that still had affection for the British gremlin. Either way, nothing Tommy could do would justify throwing him in that hellhole to rot.

“Alright,” he said. “We have a deal.”

And tried to ignore the concern on Phil’s face.

* * *

Dream wasted no time. Techno instantly found himself in a familiar room, although it too had changed. The stairs leading down to the honey block contraption (and he still didn’t know what that did), the bed in the corner, and the wall of flowing lava was the same, as were the obsidian walls. What wasn’t the same was the flying bridge made of stone bricks; it had been replaced by a permanent bridge made of obsidian.

The sound of dispensers firing filled the room, familiar enough to make him momentarily sick. The lava retracted, to show the obsidian bridge. It had been decorated with a pattern of polished blackstone blocks, and curved gracefully over the lava lake. On the other side stood a box made of bedrock with three spruce doors. The obsidian-and-blackstone bridge morphed into a walkway protected on the top and front with glass; the covered walkway continued to both sides to wrap around the box. Dream had said there was six cells; Techno imagined that the other three were probably accessed around the back of the bedrock box.

As they walked over the bridge, Techno noticed that there were signs above each door. The one on the right had Tommy’s name; the one on the left Phil’s. The middle had his own name.

“Already have a cell picked out for us?” he asked Dream, proud of how his voice betrayed none of the dismay he felt at the signs.

“I needed coordinates to code the command blocks,” Dream replied, as if it was the most routine and normal of procedures.

Techno ignored him to walk to the door with Tommy’s name. And hesitated. When he was here, the wall had been open. Visitors just walked in. What was the procedure here? Should he knock?

As he was considering, Dream pushed past him and just walked through the door unannounced. “Dream!” a familiar voice shouted from the other side. “Long time, no see! How you doin’, Big Man?”

Alright then. Techno walked through the door just as Dream said, “Tommy, you have a visitor today.”

Tommy’s eyes met Techno’s, and the teen audibly gasped. “Technoblade!” he said. “What are you doing here?”

And, gods, Techno remembered this. The boredom and desperation. The need for company and compassion. Tommy was gaunt and underweight, wearing those horrible purple clothes, and looking at Techno the way a puppy looks at a person he desperately wants to love him but knows is probably going to hurt him.

He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t just stand there and pretend that this was normal, that this was okay.

What had Phil done for him? When Technoblade has been in this prison, when his skin had felt like it was going to crawl off his body if he had to stay in his obsidian box one second longer, how had Phil made him feel human again?

He walked up to Tommy, watched him watch Techno approach with cautious hope, and folded him into a tight hug. Tommy took a split second to process what was happening, and then was squeezing Techno back just as hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY has drawn fanart of Techno hugging Tommy! Go give it love! You can see it by copy and pasting the link below into your address bar.
> 
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/759628360367603732/817981555007029268/fanart4.jpg


	7. Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains more talk of trading sex for favors (including with a minor) and an explicit dub-con sex scene. Stay safe, dear readers. <3

This was a mistake. He knew it, watching Techno hug Tommy. He should never have agreed to this. He could have just taken what he wanted; who could stop him?

Instead, he had bargained for something that was already his. And as a result had lost weeks of work on Tommy.

Finally, the two pulled apart. Tommy asked Techno why he hadn’t visited before now, and Techno responded that he hadn’t known until today. Then they started talking about what was going on outside, and Dream had to admit, he was glad someone else was taking a turn keeping the brat entertained.

Techno was telling Tommy about their new cabin, and Dream found his mind wandering. Techno’s personal rooms were okay, but not what Dream would consider nice. His bed was small, his bedroom cramped and undecorated. That would need to change. Dream wasn’t good at home decor, but Eret was, and Eret owed him a favor. Perhaps he could teleport the King of the SMP out to help the king of ... oh right. If all went to plan, Techno would be moving to the Second White House in L’Manburg. Maybe he could have Eret redo the living area there to something fit for a king.

Tommy laughed, that shrill shriek he did, and Dream winced behind his mask. They were talking about Techno coming back to visit Tommy, and Dream would have to think about-

Oh fuck. Techno was going to demand he release Tommy.

No way. Absolutely no way. Tommy was a menace and a thorn in Dream’s side. He was unruly and refused to even listen to reason. And it was going to take weeks just to repair the damage that this visit was doing.

Unless he was going about this the wrong way?

Tommy’s weakness was his need for people, his extroverted nature. Control his social life, and you control him. Dream had always used that as leverage to influence the teen, but what if there was a better way to do this? Especially now that he had his admin powers back?

Tommy had spent three weeks in the Vault, and he was miserable. Maybe Dream could use that to his advantage? When Techno bid for Tommy’s freedom, he could simply let the teen go, with the understanding that bad behavior would put him back in his cell. A probation of sorts. It was easier and faster than training the teen to rely on him, anyway. And if he put one foot wrong? A flick of a lever, and Tommy was trapped again. No need to hunt him down or anything.

Meanwhile, he could charge a high price from Technoblade for Tommy’s freedom. And Techno would pay it, and think Dream was doing him a favor.

Tommy would be thankful for his generosity, Technoblade would be thankful for his flexibility, and Dream would be thankful for not having to babysit Tommy anymore. Everyone would win.

One thing was sure, though. He was asking for more than just a night in Techno’s bed, carefully worded to not include sex.

* * *

Finally, Techno was finished.

Goodbyes were said, and Techno promised to visit as soon as he could, and Dream teleported them back to the cabin.

Phil and Ranboo greeted Techno in the main room. “How’s Tommy doing?” Phil asked.

“As well as he can under the circumstances,” Techno replied. And _that_ was a loaded response. Ranboo actually studied Dream out of the corner of his eye. Like this was _Dream’s_ fault or something. _Dream_ wasn’t the one that had gone on a crazy griefing rampage, _again._ Really, Dream hadn’t had a choice in the matter. Tommy needed to be taught a lesson. Preferably somewhere where he couldn’t hurt others.

Dream wondered if Ranboo had seen Techno right after Phil broke him out of the prison, and that was what the teen was thinking about. Techno had been a mess, true; but that hadn’t been Dream’s fault, either. The dumb piglin had stopped eating; of course he looked all malnourished and shit.

They talked for a bit more, pointedly avoiding any mentions of the morning, until one by one they started yawning. Ranboo was the first to mention the obvious. “It’s getting late,” the teen said. “We should probably get some rest for tomorrow.”

Silence for a minute, and then: “I suppose you’re right,” Techno acknowledged. Phil tensed and avoided looking at anyone; Ranboo, always sensitive to changes in the room, looked at the three adults in something like mild alarm. Phil seemed to force himself to relax and headed for his rooms. Techno did the same, and Dream followed him.

“Wait a minute,” Ranboo said. Dream looked back and realized the teen was talking to him. “Aren’t you sleeping on the couch again?”

And there it was again, that odd insistence on protecting the kid. He wasn’t even a kid; he was 17, almost an adult. What did they hope to accomplish? He’d have to learn how the world works sooner or later. “We made a deal,” Dream told him. “I let him visit Tommy, and in return I get to fuck him.”

The results of his statement were rather dramatic. Ranboo went white as a sheet, and Dream was going to follow up with an explanation about people having needs when he noticed the two adults. Phil looked almost disappointed, like Dream was a puppy that had chewed up an expensive pair of boots. And Techno? Techno was _livid._

“Can you go five minutes without traumatizin’ a minor, Dream? Just _five minutes?”_

“He needs to know how these things work,” Dream defended himself. “There’s nothing wrong with fulfilling another person’s needs in return for something you want.”

“Bruuuuh,” Techno responded. And Dream ... didn’t know what to do with that, honestly.

“Please don’t,” Ranboo said. His tail twitched behind him with his agitation. “Don’t ... do that to him. Please.”

Dream was about to respond that he would absolutely be taking his payment, when Techno messaged him privately. _Tell him you won’t,_ the piglin asked. _You can do what you want when the door closes, but lie and tell him you won’t. Please._

Dream threw his hands up, irritated. “Fine, I won’t,” he said. “No fucking.” And Ranboo visibly relaxed.

“Wanna sleep in my room tonight?” Phil asked Ranboo, who agreed. The pair went through a door and closed it behind them.

Techno went into his own room, and Dream followed him. Techno closed the door, and locked it. “Thanks,” he said, not looking at Dream. “The kid doesn’t need that knowledge.”

“You’re not doing him any favors, you know,” Dream said. He bent down to start untying his boots and pull them off. “Sooner or later he’s gonna have to learn how the world works.”

”Oh?” Techno responded. “And how’s that?” The piglin started taking off his own boots.

“That people use other people,” Dream responded, unbuckling his mask. “That the world is full of people in control and people being controlled. And that there’s nothing wrong with being in control if you can manage it.”

Techno paused where he was untying his sash. “Not gonna lie, Dream, that’s kinda sad.”

And Dream found himself laughing into the hoodie he was pulling off. “Shut up and get naked,” he told the piglin.

* * *

Technoblade was just as good as Dream remembered. Maybe even better. The man wasn’t attractive, not in the traditional sense; he had too much piglin blood for that. But, spread out beneath him like a Christmas present, all sweaty and panting and vulnerable, was a sight Dream would almost call gorgeous.

Dream had taken his time. Almost an hour had been spent just in kisses and licks and nips. The piglin was completely hard despite the fact that Dream hadn’t touched his cock or hole.

“You’re so pretty, baby,” Dream cooed. “So responsive for me.” And went back to sucking a hickey into the inside of his left thigh.

Dream wasn’t sure why he had never tried just talking before. As it turned out, the piglin had a massive praise kink. Techno moaned, either at his words or his actions, and Dream hummed in response.

The completed hickey joined others, dotting both thighs. At this point the skin looked like some bizarre animal pelt.

“My delicious little porkchop,” Dream continued. And licked a stripe from the base of his cock to the tip.

Techno almost came right then. Dream watched the muscles in his legs twitch uncontrollably. “Dream, please,” the piglin gasped.

“Mmmh,” Dream hummed. “Please what?” But he was already reaching for the bottle of lube.

“Finish it,” Techno gasped out.

And honestly that was close enough. The piglin moaned as Dream slid a finger into his hole.

It occurred to Dream that Techno was going to come too early. Dream had worked him up too much. He sped up the prepping process, and casually reached up his other hand to wrap tightly around the base of Techno’s cock.

The piglin did not appreciate that. “You bastard,” he bit out. _“R’hel ghust krhung_ of a _khunkh hel.”_

Dream didn’t speak piglin, but was pretty sure whatever he had just been called wasn’t flattering. “What happened to zombie fucker?” he teased lightly, scissoring his fingers in Techno’s hole.

A pause. Then: _“Hringkhul.”_

“Mmmh, yeah,” Dream confirmed. “That sounds right.”

A shorter pause. _“R’hel hringkhul,”_ Techno confirmed. But was immediately distracted by Dream removing his fingers and lining up his own cock to plunge into the piglin.

Dream himself wasn’t far from coming. He let go of the piglin’s cock and watched him twitch through what looked like a very satisfying orgasm. The sight was enough to send Dream over the edge as well.

He came back to himself several minutes later, still sheathed in the piglin. He pulled out and appreciated the sight of Techno’s messy hole for a few seconds before getting up to wet a washcloth in Techno’s wash room.

This was one act of intimacy he had always loved. There was just something so visceral about cleaning up your partner when they were so vulnerable and defenseless. Even when Techno had hated him, he had never seemed to mind the act. Dream’s partners never did, whether they came to his bed willing or unwilling. It had always amused him.

Afterward, Techno rolled over onto his side, and Dream wrapped himself around the piglin. They had several hours to sleep, plenty for a Nether hybrid and of course more than enough for the admin. He was already planning out how to make his stay in Techno’s bed more permanent.

Techno settled in, and Dream thought he was almost asleep. He was wrong. “Dream?” the piglin rumbled softly. “What would it take to get Tommy out of the Vault?”

Hidden behind Techno’s head, Dream just smiled.


	8. Technoblade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More bargaining of sex for favors.

He woke up with a body spooning him from behind. Whether it was by scent or feel, he didn’t have to look to know that his bedmate was Dream. He was confused for only a split second before it all came rushing back.

“Good morning,” Dream cooed in his ear. Techno started to get up, but before he could go anywhere Dream darted forward to kiss the back of his neck. The act was oddly intimate, in such a vulnerable spot.

He stood, purposely ignoring the fact that he was still nude, and started to dress. Dream watched him from his bed.

He had agreed to this. He reminded himself over and over. This was part of what he had agreed to to see Tommy. The rest ... well. The rest would happen. Dream hadn’t told him yet what price he would demand, what pound of flesh, for Tommy’s freedom. But the demon was agreeable to talk, and that was a first step.

As he was pulling on his undershirt, Dream stood. Unconcerned about his own nudity, the demon walked over and claimed Techno’s hairbrush. He then started to run it through Techno’s hair.

And enough was enough. “Dream,” he murmured, voice still husky from sleep.

“Mmmh?” the admin hummed.

“Put on some clothes, dude.” He paused to see how the demon would respond, but the hairbrush kept going. “You know we’re not a ... couple or anything, right?”

Finally, finally, the brush stopped. “And what was last night?” Dream asked, almost amused. Almost.

“A business transaction,” Techno reminded him. “I wanted something, you named a price, I paid it. We’re done.”

And Dream laughed. “After the conversation we had last night?” he reminded Techno. “We are far from done.”

He had expected this, hadn’t he? “I don’t suppose I can just pay you in diamonds or something?” he asked.

“Depends,” Dream cooed, and Techno already knew he wasn’t gonna like this. “Do I get to pick when and how the diamonds are mined?”

Yep. Didn’t like it. “I don’t think that’s how commerce works, Dream,” he drawled.

“Oh, it’s _exactly_ how it works,” Dream replied. “Supply and demand. The lower the supply, the greater the demand. And Tommy’s freedom is a one-of-a-kind service, one that only I can supply. So, high demand.” He laughed.

Well. It has been worth a shot. Techno shut up and let the admin brush his hair. Let him stroke his hair, then shift to stroking his shoulder. Let him kiss up and down the column of his neck.

Let him lead him back to the bed.

* * *

Phil knew. He could tell it in the way the man looked him up and down, checking for marks or other signs. He wouldn’t find any; even the marks on his thighs had been healed away by a rag dipped in a health pot and pressed against the skin.

And Ranboo knew, as well. The teen watched Dream like he was a ravager beast that just hadn’t noticed him yet. As soon as Dream wasn’t looking, Ranboo came up and gave Techno a hug.

And that wasn’t right. “It’s okay, Ranboo,” Technoblade assured the teen. “I’m okay.”

But Ranboo just looked at him like he knew he was lying.

* * *

The crowd at the border of L’Manburg was much bigger than it had been the day before. The mood vacillated wildly between somber, almost funereal, and celebratory.

Dream wasted no time before marching straight up to the trio that composed the entirety of L’Manburg’s government. “Well?” he asked them.

Tubbo looked like he had aged ten years in one day. “As the acting President of L’Manburg, I hereby surrender the country to Dream and the greater SMP.” The crowd behind him began cheering, and the teen looked like he had been slapped in the face.

Fundy and Quackity mumbled out their formal resignations. The crowd only cheered louder.

Dream let them go for a few minutes before raising a hand. It took a surprisingly long time for the crowd to quiet down again.

“I hereby accept L’Manburg’s surrender and the resignations of Tubbo, Fundy, and Quackity,” he announced grandly. “L’Manburg will remain an independent nation, under the rulership of a vassal king of my choosing.” He paused. “Your first king will be Technoblade.”

That set the crowd to cheering again, and Quackity and Fundy to sputtering in outrage, and honestly prison life wasn’t _that_ bad. It was peaceful, at least. No public speeches. No citizens relying on your people skills.

Dream gestured him forward, and he obediently came to stand in front of the admin. _Speech, Technoblade,_ Dream reminded him privately. _Now._

Gods, he hated this. “Citizens of L’Manburg,” he said, as the crowd hushed. “Dream has entrusted me with your leadership, and I’ll do my best to not let you down. To be a fair ruler, a benevolent one. To lead this country into an era of prosperity.” These were the kinds of things that rulers promised, right? “Prosperity for all, not just a select few.” And that got a few nods and scattered cheers. “What’s more, a nation of peace, not eternal war.”

A few more cheers, but also a few yells. Individuals in the crowd were yelling something, others responding, but they were too far away to hear. He could only make out one word: exile. “Exile?” he asked. And it hit him, what had happened after the last unexpected change of administration. “Guys, I’m not exiling Tubbo.” More yells. “Tempting, but I’m not exiling the other two idiots either. No, not even Quackity.” Some scattered laughter; Quackity had been especially nasty with his ‘taxing’ of the people. “My first act as your ruler isn’t gonna be to abuse my power by gettin’ revenge against my enemies.”

And an observer might think he had just offered a million diamonds for each citizen, as loudly as they cheered after _that._ Techno swallowed nervously. Governments in general, and this government in particular, were so toxic and manipulative to the average citizen.

The people were still cheering, the former administration was looking at him in relief, Dream seemed to be looking at him contemplatively, Phil and Ranboo were looking apprehensive, and Techno just wanted to go home to his cabin in the snow.

* * *

Except, as he found out later, that cabin in the snow was going to have to wait. As the king of L’Manburg, he’d be expected to live in the Second White House.

Tubbo, of all people, showed him around the building. The teen’s voice was surprisingly void of grief or frustration. Techno would think he was putting on a front, but Tubbo had never been good at hiding his emotions. In fact, the main vibe he was getting from the kid was _relief._

Tubbo, he remembered, had never asked for the presidency. And the presidency hadn’t exactly been kind to the teen. He seemed to be happy it was over, and even talked about building a place and naming it Snowchester.

The Royal Residence, as the Second White House has been renamed, was a typical house; although the decorations were especially creative. Tubbo told him that Eret had been by the day before to redecorate. The teen was a little confused as to _why,_ as the house had always served him and his cabinet just fine. Techno just shrugged it off, and ignored the nagging suspicion in the back of his mind.

Then they got to the master suite, what was to be his area, and his heart sank. It was nice, very nice; but it had been obviously designed with a couple in mind, not a single piglin hybrid. The double-sized bed had end tables with lanterns on both sides, and there were two armor stands flanking a set of two chests. One bedside table had a tub of moisturizer on it. The washroom had a double vanity; one side had hair products. What was going on?

He walked back into the bedroom to find that Tubbo had left. A familiar green bastard has taken his place. “What do you think?” Dream asked him, voice sweet.

That’s what was going on. Shit. “I think it’s a lot of stuff for one person,” Techno drawled.

And Dream laughed. “It’s for both of us, Technoblade,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Not for the first time that day, Techno felt like there was a garrote tightening around his neck, and he didn’t know how to throw it off. “Dream, that was just for one night,” he said. “I mean, I’m sorry if our deal wasn’t clear-”

“Oh, no, it was clear,” Dream interrupted, then laughed again. “I wasn’t thinking about your visit to Tommy. I was thinking about something a little more ... permanent.”

And the garrote got tighter. “You’re talking about Tommy’s freedom?” he asked plainly.

“Mmmh,” Dream hummed, and Techno just knew he was smirking behind that damn mask. “Tommy’s freedom, and what you’re willing to do for it.”

Dream stepped forward, and Technoblade was wrong; it wasn’t a garrote around his neck, it was a collar. “Tommy goes free ... after our wedding.”


	9. Interlude: Phil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. Talk of a forced marriage in this chapter, obviously, and references to some pretty non-consensual sex.

The Second White House — or, rather, the _Royal Residence_ — was definitively nice. Someone who knew what they were doing had decorated the “public” areas. Private rooms had been left untouched, as had the exterior.

They wouldn’t remain that way for long. If they were going to live here for any length of time, Phil wasn’t going to spend it living in a room that looked like it had been thrown together.

He and Ranboo were actually sharing a suite. Neither person cared; in fact, Ranboo seemed almost relieved by the fact. Phil didn’t think he was doing well with the knowledge of what Dream had been doing.

“We can put the beds up against these walls,” Phil said, gesturing. “Maybe a chest at the foot of each? Nothing too crazy, just somewhere to throw incidentals-”

 _Where are you???_ Techno messaged him sudden.

“Ranboo and I are in our suite,” Phil answered him out loud. The teen looked at him quizzically; _Techno_ he mouthed, and Ranboo nodded.

_Where is that? I don’t know this place!!!_

Phil blinked. Something had happened. “It’s on the second floor, right side. I’ll come out into the hallway so you can find us.”

“What’s going on?” Ranboo asked, tensing up.

And Phil wished that he could reassure the teen, but the reality of their situation was that the circumstances were very likely as bad or worse than he imagined. “I don’t know yet,” he answered truthfully. “Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it.”

* * *

Techno found Phil not long after. He didn’t so much run as walk swiftly past the avian and into the room without so much as slowing down. Phil followed and closed the door behind him.

The piglin hybrid paused. “Ranboo, you might wanna leave,” he said, not unkindly.

But Ranboo just squared his shoulders and lifted his chin firmly. “I’m staying,” he said.

Techno looked like he didn’t have the energy to fight. “Dream has given me his terms for Tommy’s release,” he said. Phil noticed suddenly that his friend was shaking slightly. Techno saw him notice and looked away, refusing to maintain eye contact. “He’s demanding that I marry him.”

And Phil was impressed that it had managed to be worse than even he imagined. _“What?!”_ he exclaimed before he could stop himself. Vaguely he heard Ranboo express a similar sentiment.

”I don’t- I don’t know, Phil,” Techno said, still avoiding eye contact. “I don’t know where he got this idea. I don’t know why he wants to ... to _marry_ me.” He began to pace. “It doesn’t make sense,” he said, wringing his hands. “He’s already capable of ... forcing what he wants from me. I don’t understand why he wants more.”

Phil had never seen his friend this agitated before. “Techno, mate,” he said, laying his hand gently on Techno’s shoulder to stop his pacing. Finally, finally, Techno looked up at him.

There was fear and disgust in his expression, all expected; but also a hint of resignation. Something cold settled in the pit of Phil’s stomach. “You aren’t considering accepting this offer, are you?” he asked.

Techno’s hesitation before answering was all the answer Phil needed.

”You can’t, Techno!” he almost yelled. “You can’t even consider it! Not for a second! Techno, mate; this will _destroy_ you.”

“And what will _not_ accepting it do, Phil?” Techno fired back, fear expressing itself as anger and finding a target to attack. “What will happen if I don’t even _consider_ it?!?” All the anger left his body abruptly, and he deflated. “Knowing that I could have helped Tommy, a _child?_ That I could have gotten him out of that hellhole? But I didn’t. I didn't, because I didn’t _want to._ What will _that_ do to me, Phil?”

And Phil hated Dream at that moment more than he ever had before. More than when he saw Techno emaciated and having just been raped in the Pandora’s Vault. More than when he watched Dream stand over Techno’s broken body and slap him just because he could. More than all those times.

Because he had done what he never managed in the Vault. He had whittled Technoblade down. He had chipped away at his friend, little by little, step by step. Until what was left was a man that would look at such a monstrous demand and think it reasonable.

“Okay,” he said. “Okay.” A flash of inspiration. “Here’s what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna do it; you’re gonna marry Dream. He’ll release Tommy. Then the four of us are gonna get the hell off of this fucking server. Wait for Dream to turn his back and just fuckin’ run for the server portal. We might be able to rig up a distraction of some sort. Maybe set off some TNT at the Vault for him and Sam to investigate. Maybe bribe Punz to do something. I don’t know; we’ll decide later. But the second we’re off this server Dream is just another bloke. Not admin. Not ... owner of a fuckin’ _torture dungeon_ prison. Just another guy. And he has no more control over us.”

Techno considered it, rolling it over in his head. “I’ll still be married to him,” he finally pointed out.

“So divorce him,” Phil said and shrugged. “Again: no more control.”

Another pause while Techno thought. Then the piglin sighed. “Alright,” he said. “Yeah, I think that could work.” His entire body seemed to strengthen with cautious relief.

“Ranboo?” Phil asked, turning to the teen.

And found him studying Phil and Techno with a look of shocked horror on his face. Fuck, he should have insisted that the kid leave. “I can come too, right?” Ranboo asked, voice small.

“There is absolutely no way we’re leaving you here,” Phil said with vehemence. Techno grunted his agreement.

“Okay,” the teen said, and his tail twitched behind him. “Okay, I’m in. Let me know if ... if I can help, somehow.”

They were going somewhere relaxing after this. Phil thought of all the servers he knew, either by visiting himself or by hearing about them from others. A few had even managed to set up the entire server as Peaceful, so that monsters were instantly destroyed and a respawn anchor covered the entire server. They could sleep under the stars, gather resources, and take their time building a new home.

“Okay,” Phil repeated. “Okay. So first things first. Techno, you need to accept Dream’s proposal. And I’m so sorry, mate, but that means you’ll have to put up with his, ah, _notice_ for a little longer.” In the corner of his eye he saw Ranboo flinch, but Techno just nodded. “Then, Ranboo, you and-”

The room around him disappeared. Techno and Ranboo disappeared. They were replaced by a room made of bedrock.

* * *

The first thing he had done was to open the door and walk through it. As expected, he had been teleported right back into the cell. Well. It had been worth a try.

With nothing better to do, he had been flipping through the books in the chest, when he heard someone teleport in behind him.

“It’s been two hours, Dream,” he said without turning around.

“Well, my fiancé needed to be reminded of a few things,” Dream replied. “As do you, I think.”

Fiancé. Fuck. Phil snorted. “You’re pathetic,” he said, surprised at how level his voice came out. “Needing to force people into a relationship with you because you-”

A blow to the back of his head sent him reeling to the ground. Dream stood over him, mask regarding him thoughtfully. “Your little plan wouldn’t have worked,” he said. Phil started to get up, but Dream put a boot on his chest and pushed him back down. “I disabled the server portal a month ago. Nothing comes in, nothing goes out.”

Phil actually chuckled, although it came out bitter. “Ah, well; it was a good idea.”

“It was,” Dream agreed. “Which is why you’re staying right here until after the wedding. Can’t have you filling my fiancé’s head with your manipulations.”

His manipulations? _His?!_ “You’re making a mistake here, Dream.”

“Mmmh,” Dream just hummed in response. He took his boot off of Phil’s chest, and Phil stood up. “Maybe. But I doubt it.”

Phil was brushing himself off when he realized that Dream was tugging off his haori. “You, on the other hand, have made several.” The haori was folded and put on the bench; his hat joined it. Dream pushed him up against the wall. “Has anyone told you that you have nice hair?”


	10. Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing too crazy in this chapter, just discussions of a past rape. <3

Gods, that had felt good. Philza had been a problem for awhile. Dumb bird always sticking that nose where it didn’t belong and undoing Dream’s work. It felt good to put him in his place.

Good, but not satisfying. The man had just rag-dolled and refused to react to anything Dream did. It was frustrating. He had been looking forward to those little sounds and expressions.

Still. Satisfying in bed was what his fiancé was for. He smiled, thinking about the noises he could tease out of the man. The piglin liked to pretend he didn’t enjoy their time together, but Dream knew better.

Idly, he wondered how much of that was actually Techno, and how much of it was Phil’s influence.

Either way, it was gonna be much easier to break him without the bird around.

He returned to their rooms to find Ranboo fussing over a pissed Techno. The piglin was sitting on the bed and holding a rag to his eye; it had the fruity-sweet smell of a healing pot.

“How’s the shoulder?” he asked his fiancé sweetly.

“Fuck you,” Techno replied.

Dream studied the piglin for a moment, giving him a chance to back down. Instead, he stared right back, fury and hatred in his glowing red eye.

This was a less than ideal start to their formal relationship. Dream sighed. “Get out of here,” he told Ranboo.

The teen didn’t move. “What ... what are you going to do?” he asked instead.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Just leave.”

His chin went up. “I don’t- don’t think that’s a g-good idea,” he said, voice wavering but with a firm resolve.

Dream sighed. “Suit yourself,” he said. He walked up to where Techno was sitting in the bed and began to kiss along his neck. Techno pulled away; Dream lashed out to grab a handful of hair and hold him harshly in place while he kissed up and down the column of his neck.

Behind him, Ranboo made a sound that was almost a whine.

And Dream had had enough. “Ranboo, I’m going to fuck my fiancé,” he said. “I will absolutely do it right in front of you if you don’t leave. Do you want that?” Ranboo turned white as a ghost, but still hesitated. Dream began to unbutton Techno’s shirt; Ranboo saw the gold collar and it was enough to finally get him to leave.

“Better,” Dream cooed. He opened the man’s shirt and began to thumb one of his nipples.

“You smell like sex,” Techno rumbled.

Dream paused. “We’re in the beginnings of sex right now,” he reminded Techno.

“Dream,” Techno said, ignoring the comment. “Did you have sex with Phil?”

He snorted. “Of course I did,” he said, and heard Techno groan. “He needed to be reminded of-”

“I want to see him,” Techno interrupted.

Which was honestly quite rude. “Absolutely not,” Dream said. “The man is bad for you. I’ll let him out with Tommy after the wedding.”

“Dream,” Techno said. “Please.” Dream snorted at the plea. Techno seemed to be considering for a second, and then his warm hand was cupping Dream’s cheek. “Please ... darling.”

* * *

Dream teleported them to the room in front of the lava fall. “Remember,” he said. “Ten minutes. And I’m in the room the whole time.”

Phil was curled up asleep, but quickly woke when they entered his cell. He saw Technoblade, and for a second his face lit up. “Techno,” he said. Then woke up enough to realize what that meant, and his face fell. “What have you done?”

Techno ignored the question. He strode up to the avian and enveloped him in a hug. Phil hesitated only a moment before hugging him back.

“Ten minutes,” Dream reminded them.

Phil looked at him standing there, then broke away from the hug to study Techno. “What did you promise him to come here?” he asked the piglin.

“It doesn’t matter,” he replied. “How are you doing? Are you comfortable?”

“Techno,” Phil said. “It does matter. It absolutely matters. What did you promise him?”

Still, the piglin hesitated before answering. “I agreed to ... blow him, later,” he finally admitted.

To both Techno and Dream’s surprise, Phil reacted by slapping the back of Techno’s head. Phil ignored the piglin’s little “ow” to yell: “you can’t keep doing this Technoblade! You’re hurting yourself, mate! Why can’t you see that?!”

Techno rubbed the back of his head. “I see it,” he grumbled. “I see it. But it’s worth it, sometimes.”

“How is this worth it?!”

“Because now I know that you’re okay!” Techno glanced at Dream, watching them with interest from his spot in the corner. “I’ve been ... where you are now, before. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. And I know what he’s ... capable of. I just ...” Another glance. “I just had to make sure you weren’t layin’ in a puddle of blood or somethin’.”

”Five minutes,” Dream said. Then considered, and added “you can watch if you want, Phil.”

 _“Fuck you,”_ was the instant response. “For what it’s worth,” he told Technoblade, “I do _not_ give my blessing for this union. Your fiancé’s a real wanker.”

Techno just laughed.

They talked about various other subjects. Dream listened just enough to make sure they weren’t plotting an escape or anything, but left them alone. Until ...

“Time’s up,” he announced.

They both looked at him pleadingly. “No way it’s been ten minutes,” Techno said.

Dream snorted. “It’s been twelve,” he said. “There’s literally a clock right there on the wall.”

The two embraced again. Techno whispered, low enough that Dream probably wasn’t supposed to hear: “I’ll work on getting you out for the wedding.”

Dream teleported them away.

* * *

Back in their bedroom, Technoblade hesitated only a moment before walking over to Dream and dropping to his knees.

Dream laughed. “Woah, woah, what are you doing?” he asked. Techno gave him an irritated look, so he elaborated. “You are way too overdressed for that.”

Techno blinked, processing. “You know that it doesn’t matter what I’m wearing, right?” he asked. “All I need is a free mouth and hand.”

“Mmmh, maybe,” Dream replied. “But you’re still getting naked.”

Techno looked up at him. “Why?”

And Dream had had enough. “Because I want you to,” he said. “Because you belong to me, because your _body_ belongs to me, and I like looking down on my possession as I come.”

Techno’s eyes narrowed. “I am not your-”

“Do not make me make this into a punishment, Technoblade,” Dream growled.

Techno sighed, then got up to obey.


	11. Interlude: Ranboo

Dream was hunched over Techno like an eagle over its prey. He looked up at Ranboo, watching in horror, and his mask seemed to sneer. “Ranboo, I’m going to fuck my fiancé,” he said. “I will absolutely do it right in front of you if you don’t leave. Do you want that?”

No. No he didn’t. Dream was unbuttoning Techno’s shirt and Ranboo could see the metallic gleam of the collar, and he felt like he was going to be sick. Dream was going to do this horrible, horrible thing to a man Ranboo considered a friend, and there was nothing Ranboo could do about it.

Ranboo fled, and didn’t stop running until he was in his rooms. The rooms he was supposed to share with Phil.

Emotions welled up in the teen, and he didn’t feel like stopping them. He sobbed, sobbed like he hadn’t in a long time, just an emotional vomiting of tears and snot until there was nothing left.

His face ached from the tears that had burned their way down his skin. He found he didn’t care.

If only Dream hadn’t gotten his admin powers back! Phil wouldn’t be in prison because Dream wouldn’t be able to spy on them! Techno wouldn’t have had to become king because Dream couldn’t just teleport them into the prison whenever he wanted! And in fact they wouldn’t be here at all because Dream would never have been able to find them!

Why did he have to find his missing half?! Why couldn’t the exorcism just have ...

Wait.

The exorcism.

Ranboo thought back to that time, four days ago and simultaneously four years ago, when Dream had been telling them about the procedure. He said that it had separated him in half. That it shouldn’t have worked, but it did for some reason he wasn’t going to tell them. That finding his other half and reuniting with it was what had given him his admin powers back.

Well. If it had worked before, it might work again. He hadn’t been on the server at that time, had joined much later. But someone who _was_ on back then might be willing to talk to him.

He thought. George and Sapnap were gods-only-knew where. Punz and Sam wouldn’t talk to him and would probably tell Dream about his little investigation. Tommy ... well. Tommy normally would help him, but Tommy after being in the Vault? Too risky.

That left Tubbo and Fundy. Of those two, who was the most likely to talk with him? Who hated Dream the most?

 _Hey,_ he messaged privately. _Can we talk?_

 _You have a lot of nerve contacting me, traitor,_ Fundy replied.

Ah. Oops. _Fundy, that was almost a year ago. I’m sorry that I left the L’Manburg government, but it was doing things that I felt were wrong._

 _You seem to have come out on top,_ Fundy responded bitterly.

And Ranboo could see where it would look that way. _Looks can be deceiving,_ he told the fox.

A pause. Then ... _Fine. When do you want to meet?_

Ranboo licked his lips. _Tonight,_ he said. _After Dream has ... gone to bed. So we know he’s not spying on us._

 _Paranoid much?_ Fundy asked spitefully.

And Ranboo couldn’t do this right now. Not after all that had just happened. _Why don’t you ask Phil if that’s being paranoid?_ he shot back with a little more bite than he had wanted.

A longer pause. Ranboo thought maybe Fundy had gotten upset and was ignoring him. Then ... _Why can’t I contact Phil?_ he asked. _What happened to my grandfather?!_

_Your messages are being blocked because Phil is in Pandora’s Vault. We were ... planning an escape. Dream was spying on us, invisible. I don’t know how he does it. He ... he teleported Phil into prison and then beat up Technoblade as punishment._

Another pause. _I’ll be there tonight,_ Fundy finally said. _Just message me when, and we’ll meet in the old Butcher Army bunker._

* * *

The wait was torture.

He privately messaged Techno what he was planning, and Techno agreed to help. He got the sense that the piglin hybrid was just humoring him more than anything. Ever since Phil had gotten put in the Vault, Techno had been listless, almost numb.

It wasn’t something Ranboo liked to think about very much.

But finally it was evening. Techno messaged Ranboo what he has done, and Ranboo messaged Fundy that it was time.

When he slipped into the room, he winced. All the anti-Technoblade “propaganda” was still up on the walls. Those images of his friend being offered as meat on a platter ... suddenly he felt like he couldn’t breathe. Swiftly he walked around the room taking the images down.

Eventually, he realized that he wasn’t alone. Fundy quietly started helping. As did Tubbo and ... Quackity?

“Sorry,” he said, clasping his hands in front of himself to keep them from shaking.

“It’s okay,” Tubbo replied. Although he could see the other three trading glances at the strength of his reaction.

If only they knew.

“I wanted to meet with you Fundy, but it’s okay you guys are here, too,” he quickly reassured Quackity and Tubbo. “I was wondering if you knew who it was that performed the exorcism on Dream?”

Quackity looked vaguely confused, although Fundy and Tubbo nodded in understanding. “Actually, it was us,” Fundy said, gesturing between Tubbo and himself. Tubbo nodded his agreement.

Perfect. He relaxed a little. “I want to know what you did, and how you did it,” he said. “Because I want to do it again.”

Silence. “Wait,” Quackity suddenly spoke up. “Fundy told me and Tubbo about Phil. Are you sure Dream isn’t listening to us right now? I’m not going down for this.”

Ranboo nodded. “Yeah, actually. Techno’s with him, and he’ll message me if Dream leaves.”

”Ah. Technoblade.” Quackity said the name like it was something dirty, a curse word.

Ranboo felt his blood boil. “Yes. Technoblade,” he confirmed. “Who agreed to help me by distracting Dream.”

“What are they doing?” Quackity sneered. “Going around looking for puppies to kick? Looking for children to steal candy from?”

And Ranboo had had enough. “He asked Dream if he could visit Phil again. Dream agreed, but only if Techno would ... offer himself to be used. Sexually. Techno agreed. Mostly because he knew that Dream would ... force himself on him one way or another.”

Silence. Dead silence. Ranboo looked at his hands, focused on trying to get them to stop shaking.

 _“What?!”_ Fundy finally demanded.

And it was like that gave everyone permission to talk, because suddenly the three men were yelling and talking over one another, at Ranboo and at each other. Ranboo just let the sound wash over him, expended no effort in trying to sort though who had said what or even the meaning behind the words. Until finally he realized that someone, he didn’t know whom, had asked him how long this had been going on.

It was like a dam within him broke. He found himself pouring it all out, as the room quieted. Phil breaking Techno out and bringing him to the new cabin. Techno healing. Their six months of peace. Then the nightmare of Dream finding them and exactly what he had done to each of them.

After he had finished, there was again silence in the room. Until Tubbo agreed to tell Ranboo what they had done, all those years ago. As it turned out, it wasn’t an accident that the exorcism had worked, and Fundy and Tubbo knew exactly what they had done.

As the night wore on, the four friends began to work out a plan.


	12. Technoblade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More angst and Technopain in this chapter. Also drug/medicine abuse? Bad reaction to over-the-counter meds? Idk how to tag this, lol.

Dream slept, holding Techno firmly against him. Techno forced down the vomit that threatened to come up after what they had just done.

Ranboo messaged him around 2 am that he has gotten back from his meeting. The teen was buzzing with excitement. Techno was happy for him, but found it hard to feel anything himself. He just felt ... numb.

He had stayed awake to keep an eye on Dream for Ranboo; now the teen was done he could go to sleep. He found that he didn’t want to.

They were going to announce their engagement and the wedding tomorrow morning. The ceremony itself would take place in three days. Everything was planned. Dream was going to do the actual announcement; all Techno had to do, according to Dream, was to stand there and “look pretty”. It was probably a wise decision on Dream’s part; Techno had never been a good actor, and there was absolutely no way he’d convince any but the most gullible that he was a man in love.

He needed air. Careful as he could, he extracted himself from Dream’s grasp and pulled on a robe. Then went out on the balcony.

It was a beautifully clear night. He could clearly see the stars in the sky above him. Below, L’Manburg sprawled; the streetlights were lit, and every so often a window had a light on, but other than that the city was dark.

The crater sat below it all. That crater was supposed to have been the death of L’Manburg. He and Wilbur, for their own reasons and with their own methods, had created it together to destroy the country that had taken so much from them both. Instead, the country had rebuilt. The city square had been built over the crater, and the buildings that circled it were aesthetically appealing. Instead of being destroyed, the city had come back stronger and more beautiful than before.

There was probably a metaphor in there for him. If only he wasn’t so tired, he could figure it out.

“Darling, what are you doing out here?” Dream asked playfully behind him.

“Couldn’t sleep,” he grunted. “I figured the night air would do some good.”

“Mmmh,” Dream hummed in response. “I’ve brewed a pot of that tea you like; why don’t you come back in and have a cup?”

Dream reached up to brush a tendril of his hair back behind his ear, and the gesture as well as the tone of voice made him believe that this was a command in hiding. “Alright,” he said, and gave the city below one last longing look before he allowed Dream to lead him back inside.

Sure enough, there was a teapot and two cups. “Here we are,” Dream said. He poured two cups and began to shovel sugar into one. Techno was all set to be amused at that, when Dream pulled a bottle out of his pocket and splashed a drop into the cup. Techno’s nostrils flared; he could tell from here that that had been a sleeping potion.

“Nah, nah nah nah,” he said. “I am not drinking a sleeping pot.”

“It’s a small dosage,” Dream said. “It’ll give you a few hours rest. You need it; we have a big day tomorrow!”

“Dream,” Techno said. “I am not drinking a sleeping pot. Not any dosage. Not any amount. Period.”

And Dream did not like that. “Yes, you are,” he said firmly. “You can do it easy or hard; but either way, you’re drinking it.” He paused. “Don’t make this into a thing, Technoblade.”

Shit. The son of a bitch would do it, too. Glaring at the green bastard the entire time, Techno drank the tea.

“There we go,” Dream cooed, all soft and sweet now that he’d gotten his way. “It’s for your own good, Techno.”

Dream helped him back to the bed, unsteady on his hooves, as the potion took effect.

* * *

Techno stood beside Dream on the L’Manburg podium, feeling hazy. Sure, the potion had worn off in a few hours, but it had left him feeling groggy and drugged. He stared at the people that had gathered and tried not to look as out of it as he felt.

“Citizens of L’Manburg, we have an announcement to make!” Dream said, entirely too loudly in Techno’s opinion. “Technoblade and I have had our differences in the past, but at the heart of our relationship is a strong feeling of respect and admiration; and that has turned into something stronger.” Like a fever dream, that mask turned to look at Techno in a way that Dream probably meant to be fond. Suddenly, his hand was being seized and held by the bastard. “In three days, we’re getting married!”

He tried not to wince as his head seemed to split open at the sound of cheering coming from the audience. He looked out over the crowd, trying to at least look like he wasn’t about to throw up, when he caught eyes with Quackity of all people. The man looked horrified. And wasn’t that an interesting reaction?

Actually, now that he was paying attention, there were a few disturbed faces in the crowd. Ranboo, of course. Niki. Tubbo. Fundy. Eret. All looked like they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

 _Get me off this platform,_ Techno messaged Dream privately.

Dream didn’t reply. “The ceremony will be public, of course. It will be declared a state holiday, so that all citizens can attend-”

“What about our king?” a voice yelled clearly from the crowd.

“Yeah. Why isn’t he making this announcement?” another joined in.

And Techno had forgotten how popular he was with the people.

So had Dream, it seemed. The man was fumbling to come up with an excuse to not put Techno in front of the microphone, and Techno was probably going to hate however this turned out but damn it was funny now. He actually smiled.

But then Dream was looking at him thoughtfully, and no. Bad idea. _Dream, I’m having a bad reaction to the potion. Do not give me the microphone. Very bad idea. Very very bad-_

“Of course!” Dream was saying. “Here’s your king.” And the people were cheering again. Dream gestures Techno forward, and Techno just wanted to curl up and go back to sleep. Dream gestured again, harsher this time, and he obediently stepped forward.

“Citizens of-” he got out, before vomiting all over the platform.

* * *

And that got him off the stage in a hurry. Someone helped him back to his room while Dream’s voice buzzed in the background, explaining that he had been feeling ill. His cloak and boots were removed, his dress shirt unbuttoned, and then he was being helped into bed. His face was being cleaned up and water put to his lips.

He drank gladly, then let himself drift back to sleep.

* * *

It didn’t last long. “What the hell was that?!” Dream’s yell woke him what felt like a few minutes later.

He winced as the sound drove knives into his temples. He unwillingly opened his eyes to see Dream, furious, hovering over him. “Dream ...” What was he going to do? Apologize? Probably a good idea to be honest. He opened his mouth to do just that when a sharp pain blossomed across his face.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Dream demanded, and slapped him again. Techno tasted blood. “Do you want to ever see Phil again? Do you want to-”

“What the fuck is this?” a new voice asked. Techno’s eyes weren’t working right, but he was pretty sure the voice belonged to Eret? He was also pretty sure there were four people standing in the doorway, but he could be wrong. Four was an awfully high number to count to at the moment. “Dream, this man is sick!” the probably-Eret voice continued. “He needs help, not to be slapped around!”

“Why the fuck would you be slapping around your fiancé in the first place?” That was definitely Quackity.

There was a pause, presumably while Dream figured out how he could spin this. Techno wondered vaguely if he could go back to sleep now. “How my fiancé and I interact in private is our business,” Dream finally came up with. “What are you doing in our room, anyway?!”

“We were checking on our friend,” a new voice piped up. Niki. And it was nice to know that they were friends now.

“Is that a collar?” Fundy’s voice asked.

“It’s a necklace,” Dream replied.

“Then take it off. He ...” Techno lost the rest as he dozed off.

He awoke again to hands around his neck. They were ... they were taking off the collar. “No,” he muttered. “No.” He tried to push away the hands.

“Techno, Darling, it’s alright,” someone said. “I’m just taking your necklace off.”

Who was calling him Darling? “Can’t take off collar,” he explained to the hands as firmly as he could. “Dream will hurt Ranboo.”

And boy howdy if _that_ got a reaction. Suddenly there was yelling? And a lot of it? No one was talking directly to him anymore, though, so he took the opportunity to drift to sleep.


	13. Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting a little early today!

Technoblade had vomited all over the podium. Two guards had quickly helped him off the platform and back to their room.

And what the fuck was Dream supposed to do with this? He had barely given him any sleeping potion! Just enough to keep him compliant and docile. And the dumb pig really couldn’t keep it together for a few minutes? Was really that much of a lightweight?

“Apologies, citizens of L’Manburg!” he told the crowd. “King Technoblade has not been feeling well recently, and drank a potion that did not agree with him. He insisted on coming on anyway, though! He loves his people!” A few hesitant cheers. “I’m sure he’ll be back to talk with you tomorrow!” More half-hearted cheers, as Dream left the stage.

And charged straight for the bedroom. This was a big moment, a huge moment, for both of them. And Techno had more on the line than anyone! He opened their door to find the piglin _sleeping._

At that moment, his fury spiked. “What the hell was that?!” Dream yelled at him.

Techno winced, and looked up at Dream with unfocused eyes. “Dream ...” he mumbled. Then, of all things, started to _fall asleep_ again!

Dream woke him with a slap. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!” he demanded. Techno looked up at him with the dopiest look on his face, and Dream saw red. He slapped the dumb piglin again. “Do you want to ever see Phil again? Do you want to-”

“What the fuck is this?” Eret demanded from the doorway. Dream spun around to find Eret, Niki, Fundy, and Quackity standing there, horrified. “Dream, this man is sick! He needs help, not to be slapped around!”

“Why the fuck would you be slapping around your fiancé in the first place?” Quackity sneered.

And how dare they? How _dare_ they tell him what he could and could not do with his property?! “How my fiancé and I interact in private is our business,” Dream snapped. “What are you doing in our room, anyway?!”

“We were checking on our friend,” Niki said in that whiny voice of hers, and since when was Techno friends with these people?

“Is that a collar?” Fundy suddenly asked. Dream spun around to see him standing by the bed.

“It’s a necklace,” Dream replied, walking swiftly to stand between the group and his fiancé.

“Then take it off,” Fundy said. “He needs to be resting, and that ‘necklace’ doesn’t look very comfortable.”

And ... that was fair. Now that his fury was fading, Dream realized that this didn’t look so good from an outsider’s perspective. Techno was out of it, so he probably wouldn’t even notice. Dream twisted the collar around to take out the bolt.

But of course the universe wasn’t going to be so kind to him. “No,” Techno muttered. “No.” He was actually waking up, because of course he was. Damn piglin could sleep through the yelling, but not this, oh, no. For Dream saving face, he was wide awake.

“Techno, Darling, it’s alright,” Dream cooed to the thrashing piglin. “I’m just taking your necklace off.”

“Can’t take off collar,” Techno slurred, still pushing his hands away. “Dream will hurt Ranboo.”

Well. Fuck.

“What the fuck does that mean?!” Quackity yelled at the same moment Eret said, “Another collar? Really, Dream?” “Where is Ranboo?!” Niki whined. “Do we know if he’s okay?” “What about Phil? Has anyone seen him recently?” Fundy piped up.

“Enough!” Dream shouted. (A nasty little part of his brain noted that Techno twitched an ear at the shout but didn’t wake.) “Listen to me, all of you. Listen!” The yelling stopped, so he continued in a more reasonable tone of voice. “Technoblade is a danger and a menace to this server. That’s true today just as much as it was seven months ago when I put him in Pandora’s Vault. Now, I may have been too harsh there-”

“May have been!” Eret interrupted to yell. “Mate!” Dream wondered how much the king had seen.

 _“-may have been_ too harsh there,” he repeated, “but Techno is still dangerous. Have you forgotten what he did to L’Manburg? Have you forgotten the withers? The rocket launcher? The _murders?”_ The crowd shifted a bit; yes, they remembered. “Quackity, how many lives do you have left, again?” More silent shuffling. “Everything I’ve done was to benefit this server! _Everything!_ And whether or not you agree with my methods-”

“But to force him to _marry_ you?” Niki wailed.

“And what is it with you and collars?” Eret asked.

Dream sighed and rubbed his temple behind the mask. He felt a headache coming on. “The collar is a constant reminder that he has limits. And _before you ask_ , I was _never_ going to hurt Ranboo if he took it off. He came to that conclusion on his own and I didn’t correct him. Marriage is an easy way to bind him to me legally, to keep an eye on him.” Niki looked to protest again. “Harsh, I admit.” He spread his arms out. “But, again: Technoblade. It was always going to take more than a slap on the wrist to bring him back in line.”

They weren’t buying it, not yet. But they weren’t _not_ buying it, either. Techno had made himself too much of a menace for them to completely write off the idea of him in check. Just a few more minutes of reasonable explanation-

“But if you marry him,” Fundy said, “does that mean you’re going to fuck him?”

“You can’t!” Niki cried, as Eret said, “dude!”

Dream sighed. “I’m not ... _adverse_ to the idea,” he said. “Believe it or not, we’ve had a sexual relationship in the past. But _of course_ I won’t be doing anything ... _non-consensual._ I promise that we have both ... ah, _enjoyed_ our times together.”

The awkwardness of the subject worked in his favor. No one in the group wanted to inquire further.

“Now, if anyone thinks they can do a better job, be my guest! If you think you can keep a powerhouse like Technoblade contained! But I will be completely honest and admit that there’s no way I could do it without my admin abilities.” That statement got a few grudging nods of agreement. “The only reason I even _considered_ trying was because I had Pandora’s Vault. Even then, I had to trick him to get him in there.”

“And Philza?” Niki, the one holdout, asked.

Shit. He had hoped they hadn’t heard that. “Philza ... isn’t happy with our engagement. Of course. He knows I’m just doing it to curb Technoblade’s more destructive tendencies. So he ... well, there’s no good way to say it. He was planning a terrorist attack of L’Manburg.” Quackity and Fundy glanced at each other. “So I’ve put him in the Vault, with plans to release him after the ceremony is concluded. After making him promise to behave, of course.” He paused. “I plan on releasing Tommy at the same time.”

“You certainly are fond of throwing people into that prison of yours,” Quackity observed shrewdly.

Dream sighed. “I’m the admin of this server,” he said. “That means that I have the responsibility to make sure that people are keeping the peace.” He pretended to hesitate. “It sounds condescending and cruel, but even adults need a ‘time-out’ sometimes.” Another pause. “You should also know that my admin abilities have made it possible to make the prison much more secure. So we’ve made some more quality of life updates, to make the prison more comfortable. Like spruce doors that the prisoners themselves can either open for air and light or close for privacy. They can also step just outside their doors and talk to other inmates, if they’re so inclined. Or walk back inside and close the door if they don’t want to be bothered. I’ve also been talking to Sam about possibly installing skylights, using barrier blocks, so that inmates can get sunlight. Again, if they so choose. It’s about making people as comfortable as possible, not torturing people.”

“And what you did to Techno?” Eret asked.

“Well ... that was before I had my admin abilities back,” Dream reminded them. “To keep anyone from escaping, we had to prioritize security over comfort. And for the record, most of Techno’s ... let’s call them _problems,_ were his own doing. He was given two tasty, varied meals a day; he was the one that stopped eating them. When Sam and I became aware of the situation, we were genuinely appalled and took steps to correct the situation. Sam personally started hand-delivering his meals and making sure he ate them, starting with hearty broths to reintroduce him to solids. It was just coincidence that Phil broke him out a few days into that program.”

More glances around, this time between Eret, Fundy, and Niki. He had guessed right; those three must have seen Techno right after Phil broke him out.

If there was any lingering doubt, it disappeared when Fundy, still by the bed, pulled down the blankets and opened Techno’s shirt. And Dream thanked all the gods that Techno hadn’t been doing another of those dumb hunger strikes at the moment.

He was careful to keep that relief off his face. “Satisfied?” he asked Fundy, putting just a hint of annoyance into his voice.

“Yeah,” Fundy said, then looked at Quackity again. And wasn’t that an interesting development?

“We probably shouldn’t be opening his shirt like that without his consent,” Eret pointed out, and Dream was grateful for his mask because he wanted to scream. Who cared if the piglin didn’t want his shirt opened? If he didn’t want people gawking at his naked torso, he shouldn’t be going on random hunger strikes!

Outwardly, he buttoned the shirt back up and put the covers back, the doting mate. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” he asked pointedly.

They got the message. One by one they said an awkward goodbye as they shuffled out of his bedroom.

And if Fundy and Quackity shared another significant look? It was probably his imagination.


	14. Technoblade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Other than a very vague sex scene at the end, nothing triggering in this chapter.

Techno woke much, much later, to find that it was the middle of the night. Had he slept through the whole day?

What day was it?

He went to sit up but an arm draped across his torso stopped him. Dream was spooning him from behind; his even breathing tickled the back of Techno’s neck. Techno rolled over onto his other side, facing Dream.

He studied the man’s unmasked face, something he couldn’t do while he was awake. Had Techno really thrown up in front of the entire country? Had a group of people really come to check on him? The entire thing felt surreal, like a fever dream.

He remembered the sleeping pot clearly, though.

He should be mad that Dream had taken advantage of him being sick to slip into his bed, but he just felt numb. Numb, and almost glad, in a sick way. He hated Dream, hated him more than he had ever hated anyone. And yet his body was warm and his arm was almost comforting.

And why shouldn’t he give himself permission to take advantage of the situation? Hadn’t Dream been doing the same thing to him, using his body for his own needs?

He could feel guilty or ashamed in the morning. Now, Techno buried his face into Dream’s shirt and drifted back asleep.

Positioned that way, he couldn’t see the smile that stretched across Dream’s face.

* * *

He awoke to a light kiss on the cheek. “Good morning, darling,” Dream said, and got out of bed.

And ... shit. The announcement. He kept his face blank while inside he was screaming, remembering how poorly that had gone. And none of it was his fault, all of it was caused by Dream ignoring his pleas and warnings; but there was no way that Dream himself would see it that way.

“Good mornin’,” he said back, waiting for the anger. But it never came. Instead, Dream went about the task of brewing a pot of coffee.

Well. Might as well rip the bandaid off. “About yesterday ...” Techno began.

Dream sighed. And here it came. Techno braced himself for whatever sadistic punishment the demon had thought up. “I wanted to talk to you about that, actually.” He braced himself. “I should never have pushed you as hard as I did. You told me that you were feeling bad, and I ignored you. I’m sorry.”

And that ... was not the reaction Techno had expected. “... heh?” he finally came up with in leu of a response.

“Do you take as much sugar in your coffee as you do in your tea?” Dream asked, pouring two mugs.

And this was ... new. As far as Techno could tell, Dream had three moods: possessive, horny, and batshit. This new reasonable persona was ... unexpected. “Half that, please,” he said when Dream seemed to want a response.

Had he hit his head? Was _this_ a fever dream? Had _Dream_ hit his head? The world felt surreal, tilted, as he accepted his mug and drank. “It’s good,” his mouth said for some reason. “Thanks.”

“Mmmh,” Dream replied. “Coffee beans do real well in the jungle to the south. So do cocoa beans, for that matter. It’s where the premium stuff on this server is grown.”

“Good to know, good to know,” his mouth responded.

“Anyway, any plans for today?” Dream asked.

With a real effort, Techno pulled his mind away from the conversation he was having. With Dream. A conversation with Dream. A _normal, boring_ conversation with Dream, about coffee and cocoa and ... “I have the first meeting of the new Citizen Council this morning,” he said. “Other than that, nothing.”

“Mmmh, good,” Dream said. “We’ve pushed the wedding back two days after your ... illness. But there’s still a lot to be done in three days.” He took a sip of his own coffee. “If you don’t mind — mmm, this _is_ good coffee, isn’t it? — stopping by the tailor in the town square this afternoon? They’ve got your suit ready, but need to do a final fitting.”

Techno blinked, a bit surprised. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing now?” he asked, gesturing to his dress shirt, trousers, and cloak hanging on the wardrobe.

And Dream laughed. “It’s fine for every day; and don’t get me wrong, I think you look very handsome in it.” For a second, just a split second, Horny Dream made an appearance; but then he was gone. “But for a special occasion, something nicer is just ... well, nice.”

”Alright,” Techno drawled. And honestly? If it kept Dream this manageable? He’d happily wear a zombified piglin costume to his wedding.

* * *

The first meeting of the Citizen Council had been held that morning.

The Citizen Council was Techno’s invention. Ten citizens of L’Manburg were selected by lot to, along with Ranboo and Phil, sit on a board that met once a week. The idea was to keep up to date with any issues that the average citizen may be facing.

The moment he entered the room, twelve pairs of eyes were dissecting every move he made — the ten citizens with curiosity, Ranboo with concern, and Fundy (who was filling in for Phil) with consideration. And, to be fair, he had expected it.

The meeting went as smoothly as he could have hoped. They mainly just introduced themselves and got to know each other. The citizens had never had an opportunity like this before, to share their experiences directly with their government; that, combined with interacting with people they saw as celebrities, made for a heady experience. They’d calm down eventually, he knew. Until then, the star struck responses were getting annoying.

Ranboo stopped him on the way out. “How are you doing after ... the announcement?” he asked.

Techno winced. “Not the best impression, if I’m being honest,” he said. “Did I really, ah, _empty my stomach_ out onto the platform?”

Ranboo just nodded. “It went everywhere,” he confirmed solemnly, and Techno laughed sheepishly. _And how did Dream take it?_ he asked privately.

“Damn, I was hoping I had just imagined that part.” _About as well as you’d think. Although he actually apologized this morning for overreacting._

“No, unfortunately you didn’t.” _That’s new. Eret said that they caught Dream slapping you around after?_

“Yeah, I was pretty out of it. Bad potion.” _I wasn’t sure about that part, either._

“Why'd you take a pot, anyway?” _Are you okay now?_

 _Dream forced the pot on me._ “I was having a hard time sleeping before the big day. Took a drop of sleeping pot to help. It did ... not have the desired effect.” _I’m fine now._

“Hmmm. You think it was a bad pot or a bad reaction?” _Are you sure? I can’t do much under the circumstances, but sometimes just talking can help._

“Bad reaction. I’ve taken too many sleeping pots in the past. Add in the stress of the announcement and lack of sleep ...” He shrugged. _I’m sure, kid. You don’t need my problems._

Ranboo laughed, a polite chuckle. “Recipe for disaster. I’m glad you’re better now.” _They won’t be problems for much longer, anyway. Can’t tell you details, but we’re working on de-admining Dream._

And that sounded like a recipe for disaster. “Much better. And of course fresh air always helps.” _Ranboo, no risks! Dream already has me on the hook to save one minor from his prison; I don’t want to have to get you out, too!_

“It does, it does!” _Don’t worry, we’ve got it under control. We just may need you to distract Dream from time to time._ “Are you headed anywhere specific now?”

Techno was certain that, if the teen knew how he had been distracting Dream, he would feel horrifically guilty. Which was the best reason Techno knew for not telling him. “Headed to the city center, actually. To a tailor’s shop? For a fitting for my ... wedding suit.” _Just give the word and I’ll take care of it._

“I’ll walk you,” Ranboo offered.

* * *

“How was it?” Dream asked later when they had retired to the bedroom for the night.

“Just fine. It went fine.” And it had. The new suit was incredibly impressive, very regal. Even if it had entirely too many golden accents and rubies for his taste. “I may ... need to remove the collar, though. The cravat doesn’t sit right with it on.”

“Mmmh,” Dream replied. “I think that that would be acceptable.” Dream walked over and began unbuttoning Techno’s shirt, exposing the collar in question.

And Techno hadn’t expected it to be that easy. “Thank you,” he said sincerely.

“Mmmh,” Dream hummed again. “The ring I’m about to put on your finger is much more binding, anyway.” He walked over and actually started to undo the bolts on the collar.

He hadn’t expected to get the hated thing off this early. A few seconds of fiddling and his neck was free. He sighed in relief, started to rub the skin that has been covered.

Dream started to kiss along his neck. He dropped his hand and tilted his head to give the demon better access.

“Always so good for me,” Dream crooned. “Always so eager.” He slipped his hand under Techno’s shirt to play with the nub of each nipple, then lightly ghosted his nails down Techno’s torso to grope him through his trousers.

And Dream had been rather kind to him today. And Dream was always considerate about making sure Techno enjoyed himself, as well. Would it hurt anything to ... just not fight it? To let it happen, to let Dream lead him to the bed? To let him strip him naked? To let him push a finger inside of him and twist it just right?

Dream watched him, maskless face pleased, and Technoblade allowed himself to just enjoy the moment. Dream was going to get his way, anyway.


	15. Technoblade

The three days passed by in a blur.

Techno’s days were mostly spent with Dream. As the big day got closer, they met with Dream’s wedding planners, visited Puffy’s flower shop, visited Niki’s bakery. They paused to watch the decorations being put up in the town square. They met with Eret, who was officiating the ceremony.

Dream insisted on holding hands in public. It was awkward at first. Eventually, it became normal.

Being in public was awkward for other reasons. Techno always felt watched. To be fair, Technoblade was almost always _being_ watched; that was as true here as it was on Hypixel and in the Antarctic Empire. But before, it was fans wanting to catch a glimpse of the Blood God, or opponents trying to get a feel for his movements. Now, everyone watched everything. _Nothing_ went unnoticed, unanalyzed.

Most average citizens seemed to think him the center of a whirlwind romance, swept off his feet by Dream’s doting and generosity. Nothing could be farther from the truth, of course; but people were free to believe whatever they wanted. It was kinder than the truth, at least.

The people that knew him, though, knew him and Dream? They watched him with something like concern. Puffy, Niki, Eret. Quackity and Fundy when they passed them. Karl and Tubbo and Jack Manifold. They watched him with Dream like jurors at a trial. Like they were trying to decide guilt or innocence.

Whose guilt and whose innocence, Techno couldn’t tell.

But Dream was very good at noticing when Techno was getting uncomfortable, and would step in with a joke or a distraction. Techno found himself chuckling, and realized on the second morning that he was actually _enjoying_ his fiancé’s company.

At times he wondered if the public spectacle was deliberate on Dream’s part. If the demon was parading him around on purpose to show how happy they were together. He would immediately squash those thoughts. Whether true or false, there was nothing he could do about it, so he might as well enjoy himself as much as he could.

His nights were also spent with Dream. The demon was an amazing lover when he wanted to be. Techno went to sleep each night on a cloud of bliss, his body having been thoroughly loved by his fiancé.

And if he felt guilt afterwards? He squashed it promptly. It felt too good, the lack of pain and anger and hate and, yes, fear. It felt too good, the comfort he found in Dream’s arms. Yes, it was a victory for Dream; but in some ways it was a victory for him, as well.

Besides, Dream had proven time and again that if he wanted to be in Techno’s bed, there was no stopping him.

He passed the days and nights in a haze of resigned acceptance, and worked hard to convince himself it was an acceptable trade for happiness.

* * *

The night before their wedding, Technoblade put that acceptable to the test.

His fiancé had laughed right through the reminder that it was bad luck for a couple to spend the night together before their wedding. It was obvious that Dream wanted him, either way; and so Techno decided that he wanted something, too.

“Dream?” he rumbled, voice already husky from arousal.

“Hmmm?” Dream responded from where he was kissing and licking along Techno’s clavicle.

“I want Phil at my wedding.”

The kissing, the licking, the room, and time itself seemed to come to a stop, the normal rhythm of their nights thrown completely off.

Slowly, Dream lifted his head to look directly into Technoblade’s eyes.

And for a bad moment Techno wondered if he had just ruined everything. If he had asked for too much, if he shouldn’t have just continued his hazy acceptance of whatever Dream deigned to give him. If he shouldn’t have just shut his mouth and opened his legs and mindlessly enjoyed another blissful night.

But Dream seemed to be satisfied by whatever he saw in Techno’s eyes, and he smiled. “If that’s what you want, my darling, then that’s what you’ll get,” he said, reaching a hand up to cup Techno’s cheek.

And, to his complete shock, something that was almost _affection_ blossomed in his chest. Before he realized what he was doing, he had leaned forward to press his lips against Dream’s.

His fiancé was surprised, of course. But it only took a couple moments before Dream was kissing him back, hand still cradling Techno’s cheek. Dream’s tongue flicked across his lips and he parted them obediently, felt that tongue explore his mouth. It was oddly intimate in a way different even from intercourse.

Suddenly Dream’s hands were in his hair and his face was being pressed hard against Dream’s, and Dream seemed to be trying to consume him whole. Techno decided that he definitely approved of this change and started to kiss back just as passionately.

And Dream’s hands were unbuttoning his shirt, and Dream broke the kiss to remove his trousers and underwear, and just like that he was completely naked. And he had been completely naked in front of Dream dozens of times, of course; but this felt different. Something felt different. Dream was looking at his body like it was a gift to be cherished rather than a piece of meat to be consumed. He found himself arching his back, spreading his legs, _showing off._

Dream went to claim his gift but Techno closed his knees firmly. “Now you,” he growled out, and watched Dream’s pupils expand.

Dream’s mask and hoodie had already been removed; his undershirt, jeans, and underwear soon followed. The demon was just as bare as Techno was. He paused and let the hybrid take a look himself.

“Alright,” Dream finally said. “I’ve paid the entrance fee. Now let me in your garden.”

And it was a horrible line, and Techno found himself genuinely laughing, but didn’t hesitate to do as Dream asked and spread his knees again. Dream kissed the tip of his dick before getting to work prepping his entrance.

After both men had finished, and after Dream had cleaned them up, Techno found himself cuddling up against the man. As he drifted to sleep, he found himself wondering for the first time if it might be possible that he could be genuinely _happy_ here with his husband.


	16. Interlude: Phil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this suuuuuuuper early (it’s like 2am my time, lol) because I just can’t wait anymore! XD

Phil woke early in the morning on the sixth day of his incarceration to a presence in his cell.

That itself wasn’t odd. Sam came into his cell once a day to hand-deliver a meal, and Phil couldn’t help but be amused by the creeper hybrid thinking he was being discreet as he tried to make sure his prisoners were eating. Apparently Techno had left an impact.

But this didn’t feel like Sam. Sam was unfailingly polite and respectful, if a bit cold. This presence felt ... smug.

“How can I help you, Dream?” Phil asked without turning around or rolling over.

”Sorry to wake you,” the demon said in a voice that was anything but sorry, “but I’m here to bring you back to L’Manburg. My darling fiancé has asked me to let you attend our wedding, and I just love spoiling him.”

Fury, pure fury. Phil let it flow over him and away. “I was hoping to attend,” he said neutrally. “I appreciate the consideration.”

And that was obviously not the reaction Dream was expecting, but the demon brushed it off quickly. “Just a few things to go over before we leave,” he said lightly. “First of all, I’d appreciate you not bothering my fiancé before the ceremony. He’s getting ready, and I’d hate him to feel pressured to reconnect.”

Translation: I don’t want you reminding my fiancé just how bad of an idea this is so that he backs out.

Phil pushed down the fresh anger and nodded. “No problem; I’ll wait to say hello after the ceremony.”

“Good idea. I’ve actually gone ahead and blocked his comm to everyone but myself. You know how he gets.”

Well, it was good to know that Dream was still the manipulative, controlling bastard he had been six days ago. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Dream started to turn, paused, and turned back. “One other thing?” His voice had gone from light and pleasant to forceful and nasty. “You object, yell, gesture, or do anything to disrupt this ceremony or the reception, either publicly or privately? Ranboo comes of age in the cell with the lava leak. Without visitor privileges. Not even Sam. Do we understand each other?”

Phil gritted his teeth. The green bastard wanted to play? Phil could play. “We understand each other,” he said as lightly as he could.

“Good,” Dream responded, back to pleasant. And teleported Phil to his room in the Royal Residence.

* * *

The ceremony was at noon.

Phil was washed, dressed, shaved, and ready to go by 11. At 11:30, he made his way down to the town square. He ignored the glances and whispers as he chose a seat.

The venue was gorgeous; as a skilled builder himself, he could certainly appreciate the care and craftsmanship that had gone into the decorations. Eret, as the king of the SMP, was a natural choice to officiate. As the ceremony began, he came out onto the platform and stood at a raised podium, scanning the crowd.

His eyes met Phil’s, for just a second. They held. And then Eret looked away.

And Phil realized that here may be an unbiased source of information. _I know you’re busy,_ he messaged the king, _but I’ve been a little out of the loop. How have things been with Ranboo and Technoblade?_

 _Ranboo is concerned,_ Eret replied, still scanning the crowd. _As are we all. He has a tentative plan to ... take care of the Dream problem, though. Techno ... well. There’s been a lot of debate about Techno._

Phil ... wasn’t sure how to take that. _Debate how?_ he asked. But never got an answer, as Eret responded to an unseen cue by stepping up to the podium.

“Friends and guests from all over the server, welcome,” the king said. “Welcome to the ceremony joining Dream, Emperor of the Server, to Technoblade, King of L’Manburg, in holy matrimony.”

The two named parties came forward to face each other and hold hands in front of Eret. As groomsmen, George stood behind Dream and Ranboo stood behind Techno. Eret began the ceremony, but Phil completely ignored him to focus on his friend.

The piglin hybrid looked good. Better than Phil expected, if he was being honest. His hair had been braided in an intricate style under his crown, and his suit flattered his form. He was even wearing his golden tusk rings. More importantly, Phil couldn’t see any cuts or bruises, any wounds, and he had walked comfortably without any limp or hesitation.

And Dream had made a mistake, Phil realized, because Techno immediately started scanning the crowd in a way that was probably meant to be inconspicuous but was anything but, until he found Phil. And Phil realized that Techno was doing the same check of him that he had done of Techno, scanning for injuries or any sign he was in less-than-perfect health. A check that would have taken place in complete privacy if Dream had allowed them to see each other pre-ceremony.

It was amusing enough that Phil gave Technoblade a genuine smile. Techno, bless, smiled back.

Dream, however, did not look amused. In fact, Dream seemed very unamused by his groom’s wandering attention. Dream must have messaged him privately, because Techno snapped his gaze back to his fiancé.

Eret continued, but looked unsettled; and wasn’t that interesting? Actually, now that he had put his mind at ease _vis à vis_ Techno’s health, he looked over the crowd and saw that a great many audience members looked unsettled. Up on stage, Ranboo’s tail twitched in unconscious agitation.

“Do you, Dream,” Eret was saying, “take Technoblade as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in injury and health, until you lose your last life?”

“I do,” Dream said firmly.

“And do you, Technoblade, take Dream as your lawfully wedded-”

“Hello!” a voice said, booming over the square as the microphone picked it up. Ghostbur wandered onto the platform, Friend in tow. “Oh, am I interrupting something?”

“Hello, Ghostbur,” Eret said kindly. “We are having a wedding. If you don’t mind maybe-”

“Oh! Who’s getting married?” he asked.

“It’s — oh, hi! — it’s Dream and Techno,” Eret said as Ghostbur pushed past the king. Friend looked at Eret, looked out at the crowd, and started to strain on his lead towards a patch of grass.

“Dream and Technoblade?” Ghostbur said. The ghost’s vacant eyes stared at the two grooms. “Really?”

There was a titter through the audience, too fast and wide to be pinned on any one person. Dream’s head whipped around to track the sound, and there was silence.

“Yes, really,” Eret said. The ‘I can’t believe it either’ was implied in his voice, just enough that it was audible but not enough that he couldn’t feign innocence. “Ghostbur, would you like to go sit in the audience?”

“Ummm ... I really don’t think so. But I appreciate the offer. I really do.” He turned around and started to leave, then paused. “But here, have some blue.” He passed a handful of ‘blue’ to Dream, a handful to Techno, and a handful to Eret. All three took his gift solemnly. Ghostbur paused, gave Dream another handful, then led Friend off the stage.

“Okay,” Eret said. “Should we do ...? Okay.” He cleared his throat. “Do you, Dream, take Technoblade as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in injury and health, until you lose your last life?”

“I do,” Dream said again.

“And do you, Technoblade, take Dream as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in injury and health, until you lose your last life?”

“I do,” Techno said.

Eret paused. “Are you sure?” he asked, suddenly not a king or an officiate but a person talking to another person.

Dream seemed to glare at Eret warningly through his mask, but Eret was focused only on Techno.

And Technoblade hesitated. And for a moment, for a brief moment, Phil thought that his friend may have come to his senses. May have realized the mistake he was making.

“I’m sure,” Techno said.

Eret paused, as if giving Techno time to change his mind, but the piglin held firm.

“Then I now declare you legally married. You may now kiss your spouse.”

Dream tilted his mask up and kissed Techno, a brief peck on the lips. Dream then led his new husband back down the staircase and through the aisle that had been made in the square.

 _And may the gods have mercy on my soul,_ Eret said privately to Phil.


	17. Technoblade

It took quite awhile before Techno was able to actually talk to Phil. The wedding was long over when he finally found the avian shopping in the market.

“Phil!” he yelled excitedly.

Phil looked up, saw him, and grinned. “Techno, mate,” he said. “It’s been awhile.”

“It has, too long!” Techno agreed. “How are you, ah, _recovering_ after being in the Vault?”

“Ah, just fine, just fine. Happy to be out and feel the sun again!” Phil laughed. “How about you? How’s life married to that motherfucker?”

And that was ... an accurate statement, Techno supposed, if a little harsh. “Not as bad as I was expecting,” he answered truthfully. “He can actually be quite kind and considerate, especially in bed.”

“Woah, woah, wait,” Phil said, face darkening. “You mean you actually _enjoy_ having sex with him?”

Not the direction he was expecting the conversation to go, if he was being honest. “I mean, I don’t _want_ to,” he explained. “But he’s gonna do it one way or another, so I figure-”

“So let me get this straight,” Phil spat, lips curling in disgust. “You wait _years_ to come see me because you’re too busy fucking Dream?”

That couldn’t be right. “The wedding was yesterday,” Techno protested.

”Technoblade,” Phil sneered, “the wedding was seven years ago.”

No it wasn’t. It wasn’t! It couldn’t be! And yet ...

“I thought we were mates,” Phil bit out. “I went to prison for you! I guess I was wrong, huh?” And he turned and walked away.

”Wait!” Techno yelled. “I can explain!” Phil kept walking, so Techno ran after him. Except he didn’t notice that one of the planks in the square was loose. He tripped on it and went sprawling ...

... only to wake up in bed.

He sat up, panting heavy. It was the night after the wedding. Phil didn’t hate him. Phil hadn’t ...

“Darling, what’s wrong?” Dream asked, sitting up beside him and wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

“Just a nightmare,” he said, voice slurred by sleep. “Sorry to wake you.”

“Mmmh,” Dream hummed. Suddenly, he was kissing up and down his neck. “Wanna talk about it?”

Did he want to tell Dream about his nightmare that Phil hated him because he enjoyed sex with Dream? “Naah,” he said.

Dream kept kissing. “I know something that will make you feel better.”

Phil’s face, twisted in disgust, flashed in front of his eyes. “I’m pretty tired, Dream,” he said. “I think I’m just gonna go back to sleep.”

“But it’s our wedding night,” Dream replied between kisses. His hand fanned out across Techno’s bare chest. “Don’t you want to celebrate?”

“A wedding that you strong-armed me into,” Techno reminded him.

And it was the wrong thing to say. Techno knew it the second the words left his mouth. But he was tired and still distressed from his nightmare, and wasn’t as cautious as he should have been.

The kissing stopped. The hand went from stimulating to restraining. “That’s right,” Dream said, voice no longer flirty. “But you said ‘I do’, baby. So why don’t you lay back down, hmm? Let your new husband take care of you.”

* * *

It had been awhile since Techno had gotten physically sick after sex with Dream. There was no hiding it from the demon, either. He ran into the washroom retching.

Dream had been all set to be angry until Techno claimed it was just nerves and the rich food at the reception. Techno washed up and crawled into his husband’s arms, and Dream was completely mollified.

It wasn’t even a lie, Techno told himself. It was comforting to lay in someone’s arms while they reassured him and pet his hair. He dozed off like that, wrapped in Dream’s embrace.

He woke again only a few hours later. It was almost seven in the morning and Dream was still asleep. But the desire to see Phil was an almost physical need, and the avian often rose early. He messaged Phil, but his comm refused to connect. Odd.

As gently and smoothly as he could, he extracted himself from Dream’s grasp. The demon latched onto Techno’s pillow instead, and calmed. Techno dressed quietly and left the room with Dream still asleep.

But his nightmare still had him in its grips, and he hesitated at Phil’s door. Silly, he knew; but it took a minute to gather his courage to lift a fist and knock.

Phil opened the door fast enough that Techno knew that the man had, indeed, been awake already. He took one look at Techno standing in the doorway sheepishly and pulled him into an embrace.

And he had forgotten how these worked. This wasn’t a hug that was a transaction. Phil didn’t want anything from him and he didn’t want anything from Phil, save mutual comfort. This was just ... warmth. Friendship. Companionship.

“I can’t believe it’s you,” Techno said when they had finally pulled apart.

“I know what you mean, mate,” Phil replied with a chuckle.

“I saw you at the ceremony, and then at the reception,” Techno said. “You seemed okay. No, like, broken bones or huge bruises or anything, I mean. How are you doing?”

“Nah, nothing like that,” Phil assured him. “Dream mostly left me alone. I saw Sam about once a day, but other than that it was mainly just boring.”

Techno felt like he could breathe again after holding his breath for days.

“Sorry to just show up at your door,” he said. “I tried messaging you, but it wouldn’t go through. I guess Dream hasn’t reactivated your comm yet.”

A look that was almost calculating narrowed Phil’s eyes for just a moment, then was gone. “That’s strange,” Phil said, but his voice was just a little off. Techno felt himself tensing. “Speaking of Dream, how is it being married to the wanker?”

It was close, too close, to his nightmare. He picked his words with care, wanting to put Phil’s mind at ease without a repeat of his greatest fear. “Not ... as bad as expected,” he admitted, and Phil’s eyebrow raised in skeptical surprise. “I know, I know. But if you just ... go with it, he can be rather easy to live with, even considerate.”

Techno would have expected surprise, or disbelief, or even disgust; but instead, Phil’s face just went blank. Emotionless. Techno couldn’t help but cringe a little at the change, and Phil’s keen eyes saw it, he knew. “Considerate?” he asked. “That’s ... that’s good.”

And for some strange reason, Techno found himself getting defensive. “Yeah,” he confirmed. “Like, he let you out a day early because I asked him to.”

Phil nodded. “That he did,” he acknowledged. “Hey, do me a favor? I’m supposed to be meeting with Ranboo this morning, but we never agreed to a time; and if my comm’s still off I can’t message him. Can you see if he’s up?”

“Sure,” Techno said. He sent a brief message to Ranboo ... and was shocked when it wouldn’t go through. “That’s odd,” he said, and told Phil what had happened.

And Phil looked surprised, but the emotion was off, like it was an act. “That _is_ odd,” he agreed. “Why wouldn’t you be able to message him? Could his comm be off too?” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t think Dream put him in the Vault, do you?”

“No, he wouldn’t,” Techno said immediately. “Why would he? Ranboo’s just a kid.”

“Well-” Phil began, but was cut off by a knock at the door.

“Phil?” Ranboo said, entering. “I heard you talking, and- oh.” The teen looked between Phil and Techno awkwardly. “I can come back?”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Phil said. “Happy to see you.” And Techno wholeheartedly agreed. Phil’s silly idea had gotten them worked up for nothing. “Techno, Ranboo has been working on a ... redstone project with some friends, still in the design stage. He had me take a look and wanted my ideas.”

And Techno remembered all those nights that Ranboo spent meeting with people in secret, and relaxed. “Oh, sure,” he said. “I can leave if you’d like?”

Phil chuckled. “That won’t be necessary,” he said. “Just give us a sec.” He turned to Ranboo. “It looks good from what I could see,” he told the teen.

“Mmmh-hmm,” Ranboo responded. “We’re more worried about the ... timing. Obviously sooner in the ... circuit, is better than later. However, if we fire too soon, then the worry is that, instead of extracting the desired block, the process will ... draw the blocks closer together. And it might make the whole circuit break down.”

Techno could sympathize. He remembered the days spent on the door to his Arctic vault, getting the timing on the repeaters just right. It had been an enormous headache. “So what are you guys doing about it?” he asked, half out of curiosity and half just kindness.

Both Phil and Ranboo stared at him for a second, Phil in something like disbelief and Ranboo in relief? Weird. “Well, we gotta figure out the timing, obviously,” Ranboo answered. “Make sure our calculations are as accurate as possible before we ... fire it up.”

And there was something very odd about this exchange. Something obviously wrong that he should be seeing but wasn’t. But when he thought about puzzling it out his whole being flinched away from the idea. “I hope you succeed,” he told the teen truthfully.

Ranboo and Phil looked back at him with expressions that were pleased but also somewhat wistful. “Thanks, mate,” Phil said, almost sadly.

Again, the feeling that he was missing something obvious. Again, the deep desire not to think about it too hard. “So, Phil,” he said instead, “now that you’re a free man, how do you feel about joining the Citizen Council?”

”The what, now?” Phil asked, seemingly glad to change the subject.

Techno and Ranboo spent several minutes telling Phil about Techno’s idea, then got him up to speed on what has been accomplished so far. Phil seemed honestly impressed by the idea, and asked questions about its formation and its mission. Those questions were answered, and all three men happily spent quite awhile talking about the best way to structure government.

Techno was surprised to realize that they had been on the subject for almost a half an hour when there was another knock on the door. “There you are,” Dream said, smiling at Techno as he entered. “I wondered where you had snuck off to. Should’ve guessed that Phil would be involved.”

Techno smiled back at his husband, who walked over and tenderly kissed his cheek. Techno turned his cheek to more easily be kissed, and laced his fingers through Dream’s.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Phil and Ranboo share a look.

“I was going to go get Tommy from the Vault,” Dream continued. “There’s going to be a welcome home party in the square. Anybody who would like to us welcome to attend.”

The Vault. “Dream? I tried messaging Phil this morning, and apparently his comm is still deactivated?” Techno said. “I also couldn’t message Ranboo, for some reason, so you might want to take a look there too while you’re at it.”

His husband’s mask stared at him, and again Techno got the feeling that he had missed something that he didn’t want to think about too hard. “Weird,” he said. “I’ll definitely fix it. Thanks for telling me!”

And then he was gone.

“C’mon,” Phil said. “Let’s go welcome Tommy home.”


	18. Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one gets a little punchy at the end. Also wrote some of it while drunk. Just so’s you knows. Don’t drink and write, kids. Or, if you do, don’t let your sister talk you into the 90 proof cheap rum before playing a drinking game where you watch Dream’s latest manhunt/hitman video and take a shot every time someone yells “C’mere [Name]!” Just ... so drunk.

Waking up to an empty bed had been shocking. Physically, at least; but once Dream thought about it, not mentally. He should have forbidden his new husband from going looking for Phil.

Better yet, he should have denied Techno’s request to let Phil out a day early. If Phil was still in the Vault then Dream’s bed wouldn’t be cold right now.

But Techno had asked so prettily. And that needed to be rewarded.

With a sign, he got up and dressed. There was no need to use his admin powers to look for his husband. He knew exactly where he would find the piglin.

“There you are!” he said, all smiles and warmth, and watched Techno relax and smile back, and watched Phil and Ranboo watch Techno do it. “I wondered where you had snuck off to. Should’ve guessed that Phil would be involved.”

He walked over to kiss the piglin’s cheek, and felt him hold his hand without being asked. It almost made up for his cold bed this morning. Almost.

“I was going to go get Tommy from the Vault,” he told the three. “There’s going to be a welcome home party in the square. Anybody who would like to is welcome to attend.”

Phil nodded and opened his mouth to- “Dream?” Techno beat him to it. “I tried messaging Phil this morning, and apparently his comm is still deactivated?” Shit. “I also couldn’t message Ranboo, for some reason, so you might want to take a look there too while you’re at it.”

He ... he thought it was Phil and Ranboo’s comms? Not his own? That was ... surprisingly dense of him. “Weird,” he said. “I’ll definitely fix it. Thanks for telling me!”

Techno smiled at him, and Phil and Ranboo watched him do it, and Dream teleported himself to the lava room in the Vault.

* * *

Tommy had discovered playing cards in prison. He had gotten quite good at some of the solitaire variations Dream had taught him, and even experimented with his own versions. Which was what he was doing when Dream entered his cell.

”Dream!” the kid screeched upon seeing him. “Big Man! Big D! How have you been?!”

Why did spending time with Tommy always feel like a mistake? “Tommy, I’ve asked you not to call me ‘Big D’,” he reminded the kid.

Tommy responded by shrieking with laughter. “Alright, Big Man,” he said. “I’ll call you Little D instead.” And laughed again.

It would have been so nice if leaving him in here was an option. Fucking gremlin.

Dream just smiled. Let Tommy feel the smile from under the mask. “How about if I let you out of here?” he asked. “What will you call me, then?”

Tommy was actually speechless for a moment. “I’ll call you whatever you want,” he almost whispered.

“Hmmm,” Dream responded. “Fair enough. But Tommy?” He took a step towards the teen, watched him take a step back automatically. “If you mess up?” Another step. “If you cross me again?” Another step, and Tommy’s back hit the wall. Dream leaned forward, letting his mask fill Tommy’s entire field of vision. “We’ll have the rest of your last life to find out how many fingers you need to play cards.”

* * *

The party was not nearly as grand as the wedding the day before. It was a much more casual atmosphere.

Tubbo saw him first. The ex-president ran towards his friend and they embraced. The rest of the former L’Manburg government followed.

Then Tommy saw Technoblade. “What is _he_ doing here?” he sneered.

“Tommy,” Techno said blandly, and nodded at the teen.

“You were supposed to visit me,” Tommy bit out. “You said you’d come back for me. That was a _week_ ago, Technoblade!”

Techno’s face fell. Not a lot, not enough for most people to even notice, but Dream was not most people. “I was making arrangements elsewhere, Tommy,” he said.

Techno was a hair away from revealing the truth about Tommy’s release. Dream couldn’t have that. He stepped forward and wrapped a hand around Techno’s waist possessively. “Technoblade is the king of L’Manburg,” he told Tommy. “Aren’t you, Darling?”

And it was worth it, for the look on the gremlin’s face. “What the _‘ell,_ Technoblade?!” Tommy whined, voice squeaking in the middle. “I thought you were an anarchist or some shit- wait. Wait. _‘Darling’?!”_

“Mmmh-hmmm,” Dream confirmed. “The wedding was yesterday.”

Tommy spun around, presumably to find and question Tubbo, as the other teen had wandered off. Dream took the opportunity to lead his husband away.

* * *

“That was cruel,” Techno said once they were safely in their rooms. “Breaking it to Tommy that harshly.”

“Maybe,” Dream admitted. “But also funny.”

“Dream,” Techno said, in that ‘reasonable’ voice he used when he thought he was being clever, “Tommy is a child. Yes, he’s annoying. Yes, he’s loud and bratty. But he’s also still a child. And children need to be given opportunities to grow and mature. Need to be allowed to make mistakes. Otherwise the entire community suffers because those children-”

”No, Technoblade,” Dream interrupted him to say. “No. This isn’t a damn piglin bastion here. Your method may work for those little oinkers, but here in the _real world,_ what children need is _consequences._ To be shown how the world really works. Not coddled into complacency like you and Phil are doing to Ranboo.”

Techno seemed surprised. “This isn’t about Ranboo-” he began, but Dream wasn’t having it.

“Sure it is,” he said, fighting to keep the fury he felt out of his voice. “It’s about Tommy, and Ranboo, and every other minor here. You coddle them, shield them. Which is great when they’re young. But the second they get a taste for the real world? You’re just making the shock hurt that much more.” He paused. “Take Ranboo. You didn’t want him knowing that you were trading sex for favors. Fair enough. Except when he found out anyway, what happened? And what if he hadn’t found out? What then? What if he had left this server thinking that the world was nothing but sunshine and rainbows? That world would have chewed him up and spit him out. And when the admin comes demanding payment that he can’t give? The lesson would have been far worse than the one I gave him.”

Techno just stared at him in horror. “Is that what happened to you?” he asked.

Dream scowled at the question. “Never mind,” he said. And unbuckled his mask. “Start stripping,” he commanded. “I want your body.”

And Techno snorted. “How romantic,” he sneered. He actually _sneered._ And made no effort to comply.

Something dark and nasty rose in Dream’s chest. “Technoblade,” he said. “You have one last chance to obey.” A stroke of genius inspired by the red anger throbbing in his head. “Else I find someone else to satisfy my desires. Like, maybe, Ranboo?”

He had expected a reaction. He hadn’t expected the strength of the reaction. Because when he heard a sound and turned to his husband, Technoblade was punching him in the nose.

A punch to the face, another to the throat, and another to the gut. A kick to the kneecap. Then the netherite sword came out. It would have been a devastating attack.

Except that Dream was an admin. And had made himself impervious to attack.

Technoblade, though? Techno wasn’t so lucky.


End file.
